During the deformation stage of latex film formation, a close-packed array
of particles is consolidated to form a structure with volume fraction unity
. There are a number of different possible driving forces to achieve this.
Proposed mechanisms range from surface tension between polymer particles an
d either water or air to capillary forces at the water-air interface. We re
view the different driving forces and the literature supporting them. A rec
ent model we have proposed predicts the conditions under which each mechani
sm operates. Experiments in the literature correlate well with our model, a
lthough the need for experiments with well-defined values for the critical
parameters is highlighted.