Selection of XSBR Latex for Carpet Backing

Manufacturer: We are manufacturer of Carpets. We are using XSBR for primary backing of Tufted Carpets. Nowadays various XSBR grades with different properties are available in Market.
For example I am attaching one specification sheet. Can you tell me which specification is better for our carpet backing?
Can you explain the effect on latex while these properties goes up and down? Like what if viscosity is 50 or 200 or 500, Tg, pH, Surface Tension.

Thanking you for your support.



John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): As mentioned in the product specification, it all depends on what you have in mind in terms of the final properties of your carpet.

1) You want to choose a viscosity that is workable with your own process. Higher viscosity means heavier coating weight and lesser problem of "strike through" (i.e. excessive penetration).

2) Tg means Glass Transitional Temperature which is the temperature at which the polymer becomes as brittle as glass. The lower the Tg, the softer would be the coating. For low ambient temperatures during the winter, lower Tg is a better choice.

3) pH should be of lesser concern to you unless the fibre of your carpet is sensitive to low or high pH.

4) Lower surface tension latex would offer better wetting property and hence better adhesion of the latex to your carpet. But too much wetting might also lead to excessive penetration although this can be overcome by a higher viscosity.