Hewapathirana, I.B.Siriwardena, S.Wranajith, A.K.D.Rangith, S.L.2021-04-292021-04-29201122359877http://www.erepo.lib.uwu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/6628/48-2011-The%20Performance%20of%20Raw%20Rubber%20Dried%20Using%20Different%20Drying%20Systems.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yNote: See the PDF Version Drying and smoking are two operations carried out simultaneously during the manufacture of smoked sheet rubber. Smoke acts as the carrier medium for heat and the chemical substances presence in the smoke. Heat removes the moisture presence in the sheets which is approximately amounts to 30% (wb). Some of the chemical substances with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties available in the smoke deposit on the sheet rubber and enhance their resistance to oxidation and mould growth. Ribbed smoked sheets which are the major Contributor for local rubber production, are conventionally dried for 4-5 days at 48 -54 C in a smoke house with intermittent interruptions of drying for the purpose loading unloading of sheets. Recently introduced single day smoke drying system (SS drying system) dries Wet sheets continuously at a rather higher temperature of 55 — 65 C. In this system, wet sheets are exposed to hot smoke at a higher drying temperature, however, for a shorter period. Sheets are also dried in open sun without control and in a stream of warm air (34 °C) for about 6-8 days to produce smoke free sheet rubber. Therefore, according to drying system used, sheet rubbers may be categorized as; Conventionally Smoke Dried sheets(CSD), Sun Dried Sheets(SDS), Air Dried Sheets (ADS) and Single day Smoke driedsheets (SS). Different drying systems may vary the quantity of smoke adsorbed to the Surface of the sheets and duration and temperature to which sheets are exposed to. Consequently, the sheets dried using different drying systems may have different degree of resistance to the oxidation and fungal attack affecting the raw rubber and rubber vulcanizate properties. This study therefore, attempts to study the raw rubber and rubber vulcanizate properties of the sheet rubber dried using, selected four drying systems.enScience & TechnologyRubber processCrop Production TechnologyOther