Effect of the glass-transition temperature on film formation in 2-ethylhexyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate emulsion copolymers

The effect of the glass-transition temperature [T-g] of the latex on the film-formation behavior of a series of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate emulsion copolymers is reported. Stage 1 of film formation was studied using a combination of dynamic mechanical analysis and conductivity measurements. Stages 2 and 3 were investigated using calorimetric compensation, differential scanning calorimetry, dielectric spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Comparison of the results from the different methods employed leads to a detailed model of the film-formation process in which the temperature used relative to the minimum film-formation temperature determines the effectiveness of the processes. The relative usefulness of the techniques used in their ability to characterize the various stages in the film-formation process is discussed for these copolymers systems.