AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MECHANICAL AND TRANSPORT-PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS LATEX FILMS - A NEW HYPOTHESIS FOR THE FILM-FORMING MECHANISM OF AQUEOUS DISPERSION SYSTEM

The effects of plasticizer, physical aging, and film-forming temperature on the mechanical and transport properties of films formed from aqueous dispersions of ethylcellulose latex were investigated. The water vapor permeability of latex films was found to decrease with diethyl phthalate to a minimum value and then to increase with diethyl phthalate at higher concentrations. Because of the decrease in free volume and the further coalescence of particles of latex polymer films in the physical aging range, the creep compliance of latex films decreased with physical aging time. Within 60 to 100-degrees-C, the film-forming temperature was found to have no effect on the mechanical and transport properties of Aquacoat films. However, since many pinholes formed in the latex films when the film-forming temperature was above 100-degrees-C, the water vapor permeability of latex films was higher than that of latex films formed between 60 and 100-degrees-C. The formation of films from aqueous latex dispersions is suggested to proceed gradually from the top to the bottom of the latex dispersion in this study.