Continental

Dandelion Rubber “of great interest” to Continental

A team at the University of Münster (Germany) has conducted research into the latex properties inherent in dandelions and observed that the member of the Asteraceae family produces a gum elastic equal in quality to rubber tree latex.

German tyre manufacturer, Continental has “latched onto” these results and is promoting the idea; as well as joining a consortium of research institute and research partners who intend to transform the research results into market products.

“The first research results clearly show Russian dandelions to produce a high-quality natural rubber,” confirms Dr. Dirk Prüfer, professor at the Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Münster.

“Its physical and chemical properties match up well with those of the Brazilian rubber tree. But growers would have to plant dandelions on a large scale if industry is to be able to use them to produce natural rubber.”

Prüfer explains that the university team’s biochemists have found the enzyme that governs polymerisation of the plant’s latex and have managed to ‘switch off’ this enzyme to enable to latex to flow freely and be siphoned off.

The tyre industry views dandelion rubber as something that can be used as an alternative to rubber tree latex, which is currently undergoing a worldwide shortage, with demand exceeding supply.

According to Continental, researchers feel that dandelions sometime in the future could supply a tenth of the rubber demand in Germany.

“This project is a great interest to material development,” states Dr. Boris Mergell, head of Tire Material and Process Development & Industrialisation at Continental.

“Success in making dandelions a source of natural rubber would enable us to respond at rather short notice to supply shifts. After all, the plant needs only one year from seeding to harvest. From the cutting of the first sod to the harvesting of the latex, setting up a run-of-the-mill rubber plantation requires roughly five to seven years.”

Tags: dandelions