EFFECTS OF ALKALI-SOLUBLE RESIN ON LATEX FILM, MORPHOLOGY OF POLY(N-BUTYL METHACRYLATE) STUDIED BY ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

The effects of alkali-soluble resin containing carboxylated random cop olymers on the film; structure and individual particle morphology of p oly(n-butyl methacrylate) latex film have been studied using atomic fo rce microscopy. More instances of disruption to regular packing of the particles in the latex film, e.g., vacancies, cracking, and dislocati ons in the regular arrays and domains of random arrangement of particl es, were observed in the poly(n-butyl methacrylate) latex film contain ing alkali-soluble resin than in its absence. In addition, indentation s of the tops of the individual latex particles on the film surface we re observed. The extent of this occurrence increased with the concentr ation of the alkali-soluble resin, the annealing temperature, and its duration. The results were interpreted in terms of the different degre e of fusion of the poly(n-butyl methacrylate) particles and layer of a lkali-soluble resin adsorbed on them during the film formation process .