Our aim was to study the effect of various surfactants on the adhesion prop
erties of latex films. For this purpose, a model monodisperse, surfactant-f
ree, core-shell latex was synthesized, The core was a random copolymer of s
tyrene and butyl acrylate. The shell consisted of a styrene/butyl acrylate/
methacrylic acid terpolymer with 10 wt% of methacrylic acid. Sodium dodecyl
sulfate (SDS) and various ethoxylated nonionic surfactants were post-added
to the latex Lit increasing concentrations. The adhesion of the correspond
ing films was measured by peeling at 180 degrees. The shapes of the curves
relating the peel energy to the surfactant concentration were similar, irre
spective of the nature of the surfactant. namely a decrease to a constant p
lateau level. This means that in these systems, the: influence of a weak bo
undary layer at the interface dominates all other possible effects of the s
urfactant. This was confirmed by surface analysis and peel experiments with
surfactant-free films contacted with spin-coated SD layers of increasing t
hickness. The reasons why the deleterious interfacial effect of the surfact
ant overwhelms all others are discussed.