Effect of the acrylic acid content on the permeability and water uptake of latex films

TL;DR

This study investigates how varying acrylic acid content affects the permeability and water uptake of latex films, combining theoretical modeling with experimental validation to understand the influence of film morphology and colloidal interactions.

Contribution

The paper presents a theoretical model of latex film formation that correlates with experimental data on permeability and water uptake based on acrylic acid content.

Findings

Water uptake is primarily influenced by film morphology.

Acrylic acid content affects intercolloidal interactions and film packing.

Theoretical predictions align with experimental results.

Abstract

Acrylic acid (AA) is a monomer commonly employed in emulsion polymerization to provide electrostatic colloidal stability and improve specific film performance. The addition of AA not only modifies the kinetics of the polymerization, but also it takes part in the interaction between colloidal particles, which has a strong influence on their packing and consequent latex film properties. In this contribution a theoretical modeling of the latex film formation is presented and compared to experimental results: water vapor permeability and latex film capacitance are studied as a function of AA content. It has been shown that water uptake is mainly affected by film morphology which in turn is defined by intercolloidal interaction and drying rate.