Abstract
An artificial latex is usually understood to mean one prepared by the inversion of the solid plastic, and the main purpose of this paper is to consider latices of this type, although towards the end some attention is given to the synthetic latices. Given the right conditions of dispersion and the correct dispersing agents, satisfactory aqueous dispersions may be prepared from almost any plastic substance. In dispersion processes generally the material to be dispersed may occur as a liquid, as a solid, or as a plastic which is physically intermediate between the two. In all such processes machinery is required capable of inducing a shear at the point of dispersion. It is a relatively simple matter to prepare an aqueous dispersion of a liquid. The technician has at his disposal several types of high-speed colloid mills in which the liquid is subjected to high shearing forces in the presence of suitable colloids. For solids in hard homogeneous massive form, not merely present as aggregates of otherwise fine particles, grinding machinery is necessary. For the intermediate plastics, relatively heavy machinery capable of inducing shearing forces in the material itself is required. Consequently, if the plastic substance can be rendered fluid by solution in a suitable solvent, it can be dispersed by passage through some form of standard colloid mill. On the other hand, if it can be rendered friable by loading with large proportions of powder, it may be dispersed with the aid of some form of grinding machinery. Both methods were practised by the earlier investigators, and in both eases dispersions were obtained in which an undesirable ingredient was present in large quantities. The solvent could, of course, be distilled off, but its use and recovery was an unnecessary expense and the final dispersion was not always controllable as regards stability.