A NEW USE FOR RUBBER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16928, 30 December 1922, Page 3

A NEW USE FOR RUBBER.

The use of rubber for improving the quality of paper was explained by Mr h. Kaye, who recently spoke on the subject to the Institution of Rubber Industry at the Engineers’ Club, London. The rubbered paper, Mr Kaye explained. will fold without <rm king, and will bear ordinary strains without tearing. The advantages of these P-operties are obvious in the case of newspapers, where speed must be combined with smooth running; and also in the case of packing paper, where toughness is a prime consideration. I aper may also he waterproofed by treatment with rubber, and is then capable ot use in many new ways. The rubber must, however, bo used for this purpose in the liquid form as it conies irom the trees; hitherto this has been impossible, except near the plantations themselves, owing to the I act that it has been necessary to dry it for shipping purposes. By means id a process invented bv Mr Kaye this difficulty is said to be removed,'and if "ib be an easy matter, by the use qf suitable preservatives. to ship the latex (rubber liquid) from the rubberproducing to the paper-manufacturing countries. Practical commercial experimoni in paper mills have shown that the labour costs of the addition ot rubber latex are negligible. The treated papei manufactured from cotton waste lias a folding resistance represented by the index -umber of against that for ordinary paper oi —O. and its bursting strength is increased from 311 b to 401 b. At the same time the texture is improved and it is more pleasant to the touch. In the case of printing paper the strength is increased from 71b to 201 b. Other valuable materials than papej may a.so be produced on the papermaking machines with the help of rubber latex, it is said. By using mechanical wood fibres, jraste paper and various other fibres, linoleum-like products can be easily and cheaply manufactured. These goods are waterproof. resistant to hard wear, and can he made with beautiful inlaid designs. Further, it is a practicable oronosition to make leather substitute' and asbestoe high-pressure packing.