Natural rubber in 1736: La Condamine

Cis-1,4-polyisoprene from Hevea — tyres still drink most of the world’s latex. Natural rubber is one of 32 materials in this atlas, grouped under polymers: history, structure, measured properties, process routes, uses, safety and market — not a product catalogue. Scores compare Natural rubber with the rest of the atlas on strength, heat, fire behaviour, insulation, workability and circularity. They are editorial, not certificates.

Seven chapters follow. Fire and insulation claims name test families (Euroclass, ASTM E84, ISO 5660, KS F) rather than inventing a single safety number. Natural rubber ((C5H8)n cis-1,4) is a family of grades whose density ~0.92 g/cm³, heat band elastomer; decomposes on heat, and fire letter combustible; tyres are a fire load.

This atlas treats Natural rubber as a system: mill route, coatings, tests and the cavity it sits in. Conductivity note: ~0.15 W/m·K. Insulation score 38/100 is relative to 32 entries — metals lose, VIPs and aerogels win. Fire letter in editorial use: combustible; tyres are a fire load. Do not equate A1 with “safe in a blaze” or E with “illegal”. Assemblies decide.