Processes for recovering rubber from aged briquettes and aged briquettes containing plant matter from non-
Provided herein are organic solvent-based processes for the removal of rubber from aged briquettes made from compressed plant matter (briquettes) of non- Hevea plants. Also provided are aged briquettes made from the compressed plant matter of non- Hevea plants where the briquettes have been aged for either various time period after formation and the rubber within the briquette has retained its a molecular weight to within a specified range.
1. An aged briquette comprising:
78 to 95 weight % compressed chopped plant matter (based upon the total weight of the briquette) from a non- Hevea plant, said plant matter comprising bagasse, rubber, and resin,
2-20 weight % water (based upon the total weight of the briquette),
0.2-2 weight % antioxidant (based upon the total weight of rubber present in the plant matter),
0.1-5 weight % binder (based upon the total weight of the briquette), and
wherein at least 90% of undersize material of less than 30 mesh has been removed from the chopped plant matter prior to briquetting and the briquette has been aged for 18-24 days after formation and the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,000,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
2. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,200,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
3. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the briquette contains 80-100% by weight bark, less than 20% by weight woody material, and less than 1% by weight leaves.
4. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the chopped plant matter has an average size of 0.065-0.5″ prior to being compressed into the briquette.
5. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the chopped plant matter of the briquettes comprises guayule plant matter.
6. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the briquette has been subjected to further aging for a total aging period of 90-200 days after formation, optionally with at least half of those days at a temperature of 20-50° C., and the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 900,000-1,200,000.
7. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the antioxidant is 0.5-2 weight %.
8. The briquette of claim 1 , wherein the chopped plant matter was roll/flake milled prior to being compacted into the briquette.
9. The briquette of claim 5 , wherein the briquette contains 80-100 % by weight bark, less than 20% by weight woody material, and less than 1% by weight leaves.
10. An aged briquette comprising:
78 to 95 weight % compressed chopped plant matter (based upon the total weight of the briquette) from a guayule plant, said plant matter comprising bagasse, rubber, and resin,
2-20 weight % water (based upon the total weight of the briquette),
0.2-2 weight % antioxidant (based upon the total weight of rubber present in the plant matter),
0.1-5 weight % binder (based upon the total weight of the briquette),
wherein at least 90% of undersize material of less than 30 mesh has been removed from the chopped plant matter prior to briquetting and the briquette has been aged for 18-24 days after formation and the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,000,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
11. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,200,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
12. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the briquette contains 80-100% by weight bark, less than 20% by weight woody material, and less than 1% by weight leaves.
13. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the chopped plant matter has an average size of 0.065-0.5″ prior to being compressed into the briquette.
14. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the briquette has been subjected to further aging for a total aging period of 90-200 days after formation, optionally with at least half of those days at a temperature of 20-50° C., and the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 900,000-1,200,000.
15. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the amount of the antioxidant is 0.5-2 weight %.
16. The briquette of claim 10 , wherein the chopped plant matter was roll/flake milled prior to being compacted into the briquette.
17. The briquette of claim 11 , wherein the briquette contains 80-100% by weight bark, less than 20% by weight woody material, and less than 1% by weight leaves.
18. An aged briquette comprising:
78 to 95 weight % compressed chopped plant matter (based upon the total weight of the briquette) from a guayule plant, said plant matter comprising bagasse, rubber, and resin,
2-20 weight % water (based upon the total weight of the briquette), and
0.2-2 weight % antioxidant (based upon the total weight of rubber present in the plant matter),
wherein at least 90% of undersize material of less than 30 mesh has been removed from the chopped plant matter prior to briquetting and the briquette has been aged for 18-24 days after formation and the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 800,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
19. The briquette of claim 18 , wherein the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,000,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
20. The briquette of claim 18 , wherein the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,200,000-1,500,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.
21. The briquette of claim 18 , wherein the rubber within the briquette has a molecular weight of 1,000,000-1,200,000, as measured after organic solvent extraction of the rubber from the plant matter of the briquette.