The first volume of this series on synthetic resin latices surveys the fundamentals of polymer chemistry, the principles and practice of emulsion polymerization and of the resulting latices and their properties, including alkali-soluble latices, in relation to the requirements of specific applications, including pigmented systems and technical latices. It also presents a comprehensive account of the formulation of latex-based adhesives for bonding of many different materials.

From the Preface: “...With the present trends in ensuring environmental safety, water-based latices are having an ever-increasing role in a diverse range of applications. Many of these overcome the limitations of water-based polymers since in film forming a minimum temperature is necessary, and in the case of some polymers there are limitations due to insufficient film hardness with a tendency of films to ‘creep’ on a vertical surface. Developments in the formation of latices have included increasing molecular weights of polymers and the use of ‘core—shell’ copolymers, which often have the effect of reducing the minimum film-forming temperature, therefore enabling harder films to be formed, and above all, the use of crosslinking reactions, often described as ‘curing’...”

Target Audience: Chemists and other scientists involved in industrial or academic polymer research; technical service providers who examine latices for potential applications; and technologists in the application industries (notably adhesives for this volume, although the extended overview of underlying principles will be of interest to all end-users) who are interested in these water-based systems.

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Fundamentals of Polymer Chemistry
Emulsions and Colloids
Emulsion Polymerisation
Latex Properties Relative to Applications
Crosslinking and Curing
Technical Polymer Latices
Unsaturated Polyester and Non-Vinyl Emulsions
Polymer Latices in the Formation of Adhesives
Index

Note: Applications of Synthetic Resin Latices, Volume 2: Latices in Surface Coatings — Latex Paints and Applications of Synthetic Resin Latices, Volume 3: Latices in Diverse Applications are companion volumes to this title.