Natural rubber latex (NRL) is a green and highly potential material for various rubber product applications such as tyres, belts, gloves, and foams. To enhance its application, NRL requires rubber chemicals and other additives to improve its processibility and properties. Epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) is a unique polymer generated through the epoxidation process that replaces the double bonds in the NR polymer chain with an epoxy group. There is a potential to use ENR in its latex form (ENRL) to produce dipped products. One of the vital factor to indicate ENRL suitability for producing dipped products is its biodegradability. This work investigates the biodegradability of ENRL films in a controlled composting environment under laboratory conditions. The degree of biodegradation is measured based on evolved carbon dioxide produced by microorganism activities in aerobic condition. The influence of microbial population on the biodegradation and mineralization rate of ENRL films in the composting environment is discussed. The morphological and chemical changes of the ENRL films were observed and analyzed using scanning electron microscopes, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography and weight loss. Results obtained from this study can be used to predict the preliminary biodegradation rate of ENRL films.

天然橡胶胶乳 (NRL) 是一种绿色且极具潜力的材料，可用于各种橡胶产品应用，例如轮胎、皮带、手套和泡沫。为了增强其应用，NRL 需要橡胶化学品和其他添加剂来改善其加工性能和性能。环氧化天然橡胶 (ENR) 是一种通过环氧化过程生成的独特聚合物，它用环氧基团取代了 NR 聚合物链中的双键。有可能以乳胶形式 (ENRL) 使用 ENR 来生产浸渍产品。表明 ENRL 适用于生产浸渍产品的重要因素之一是其生物降解性。这项工作研究了 ENRL 薄膜在实验室条件下受控堆肥环境中的生物降解性。生物降解程度是根据微生物在有氧条件下活动产生的释放的二氧化碳来测量的。讨论了微生物种群对堆肥环境中 ENRL 膜的生物降解和矿化率的影响。使用扫描电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱、凝胶渗透色谱和失重对ENRL薄膜的形态和化学变化进行了观察和分析。从这项研究中获得的结果可用于预测 ENRL 薄膜的初步生物降解率。使用扫描电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱、凝胶渗透色谱和失重对ENRL薄膜的形态和化学变化进行了观察和分析。从这项研究中获得的结果可用于预测 ENRL 薄膜的初步生物降解率。使用扫描电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱、凝胶渗透色谱和失重对ENRL薄膜的形态和化学变化进行了观察和分析。从这项研究中获得的结果可用于预测 ENRL 薄膜的初步生物降解率。