Reducing Ammonia Content of Latex Concentrate with Formaldehyde

Manufacturer: We are manufacturing dipped tubes, for medical in small scale.

Can we add formaldehyde to reduce the concentration of ammonia in high ammonia latex, so that even dip could be produced?

 

John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): Yes, you can add formaldehyde to reduce the ammonia content in the latex.When you add formalin to the latex, pH would drop and latex would tend to destabilise. Therefore you need to add a non-ionic surfactant first. Stir for two hours before adding formalin.

You can try Emulvin W or equivalents as the surfactant. If you continue to encounter stability problem such as viscosity rise it could be due to the latex quality problem, in which case I suggest you remove the ammonia by stirring with a fan over the surface of the latex.