Mechanical properties of latex blends films from polystyrene particles with different sizes in a butyl acrylate-co-styrene copolymer matrix

Abstract

Blends of polystyrene (PSt) hard particle latex with three different particle sizes (96, 72, and 61 nm) and a n-butyl acrylate-co-styrene (BA-co-St) copolymer soft latex with a 204 nm particle size were synthesized by emulsion polymerization. Latexes were standardized at 25% solids and blended at different concentrations by wt% of PSt:BA-co-St for every hard particle size. Finally, films from each blend were obtained. Morphology of each film prepared was examined by transmission electron microscopy, and it was found that the hard particles are randomly distributed in the films inside the copolymer matrix. The effect on mechanical properties of different PSt concentrations and particle sizes was assessed by DMA as a function of temperature. The results indicate that rigidity of the blended latex increases as the particle size diminishes as determined by the reduction in damping in the tan δ peak. The storage modulus increases as the concentration of PSt increases in the blends and the values depend upon the size of PSt particles. Mechanical properties at tension indicate that decreasing the size of the PSt particles and increasing their concentration increase the Young's modulus and ultimate strength at tension because of an increase in the rigidity of the films. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers.