Differences between SBR Latex and Carboxylated SBR Latex?

Manufacturer: Can you explain the main differences between a standard SBR latex and a carboxylated SBR latex for carpet backing and treatment of textile and non-woven fabrics? Why is carboxylated SBR latex a preferred latex?
 
John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): The first important property I would like to touch on is the latex colloidal stability. In the case of non-carboxylated SBR latex, the stability is achieved through the addition of surfactants which could be easily "desorbed" from the rubber particles and hence leading to destabilization.

On the other hand, in a carboxylated SBR latex, the carboxylic acid is an integral part of the polymer through copolymerization and by virtue of its ability to ionize, it offers a more permanent stability to the latex.

Briefly, carboxylated SBR latex also offers the following advantages:

1) Improved wetting for fillers and fibres
2) With improved polarity, adhesion to many substrates is enhanced
3) Improved physical properties (e.g. tensile strength, abrasion resistance, modulus)
4) Improved chemical resistance to non-polar solvents

This question had been raised before in this "forum". Please go to the link below:
http://latexconsultants.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-should-we-use-carboxylated-styrene.html

Solvent Roughening of Household/Industrial Gloves

Manufacturer: We have been trying to make roughened (kinkled) latex household/industrial gloves with methylene chloride in response to the request of one of our customers but without success.Would appreciate very much if you could guide us in solving this problem.
 
John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): I presume you want to make gloves with irregular patterned surface on the outside of the gloves.

This entails careful selection of solvent and coagulant, time of immersion, filler content and the degree of prevulcanization of the latex compound.

It is a complex optimization of all the factors mentioned above. If you want , I could write a separate report for you with more technical details.

In the mean time, I suggest you replace methylene chloride with toluene.