DYNAMICS OF THE DESTRUCTIVE CHANGES IN RUBBER SAMPLES DUE TO A YEAR-LONG EXPOSURE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS IN THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Investigations of dynamics of changes in composition of microbial associations capable to colonize and grow on fluorine and butadiene-nitrile rubbers were carried out within the framework of activities conducted by the Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center. Cooperation revealed the dependence of changes in elasto-strength properties of stretched rubbers on location and time of exposure in various climatic zones in Vietnam. It was found that increase of microbial population and overgrowing rubbers with fungi began at the end of the year exposure on open grassy areas of climatic labs; however, the process was delayed on myco research stations. Fluorine rubbers turned out less resistant to ultraviolet.