Sulfur vulcanization been uncertainly as to whether it proceeds in a radical or ionic manner. The reactive sites, often referred to as 'cure sites', are unsaturated groups such as alkenes and allyls. During vulcanization, sulfur bridges are formed between these sites, crosslinking the polymer. These bridges may consist one or several sulfur atoms. Both the extent of crosslinking and the number of sulfur atoms in the crosslinks strongly influences the physical properties of the rubber produced: Sulfur, by itself, is a slow vulcanizing agent and does not vulcanize synthetic polyolefins. Even with natural rubber, large amounts of sulfur as well as high
Natural rubber using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography (GC) indicates that they contain sulphur, ammonia, alkenes, ketones, esters, hydrogen sulphite, nitrogen, and low molecular weight fatty acids (C2-C5). When latex concentrate is produced from rubber, sulphuric acid is used for coagulation. This produces malodourous hydrogen sulphide. The industry can mitigate these bad odours with scrubber systems. Latex is the polymer cis-1,4-polyisoprene – with a molecular weight of 100,000 to 1,000,000 daltons. Typically, a small percentage (up to 5% of dry mass) of other materials, such as proteins, fatty acids, resins, and inorganic materials (salts) are found in natural rubber. Polyisoprene