Polymer International 47 (1998) 85È86

Book Reviews

latices : Science and technology. Second editionPolymerVol. 1, Fundamental principles.Vol. 2, Types of latices.Vol. 3, Applications of latices.D. C. Blackley.Chapman & Hall, London, 1997.pp. Vol. 1 : xvii] 557 ; Vol. 2 : xvii] 592 ; Vol. 3 : xxi] 653,price £370.00 (set).ISBN: Vol. 1, 0412 62870 8

Vol. 2, 0412 62880 5Vol. 3, 0412 62890 2

These volumes are the Second Edition of “High PolymerLaticesÏ, also by Dr Blackley, published in 1966 (in 2 volumesfor 168/- (£8.40 !)), and long unavailable. This earlier workprovided a comprehensive treatment, with many of the basicreferences on the subject, of the fundamentals of polymerscience in relation to dispersions, both theoretical and practi-cal. Much of this treatment has been retained in the volumesunder review, with signiÐcant emphasis of the aspects of theauthorÏs experience (and many publications in the Ðeld). Thetopics covered include, especially, the many areas of polymerscience which relate to colloid science, and especially in Vol. 1,to colloid stability and the destabilization behaviour of laticesby physical and chemical inÑuences, their Ñow properties andhandling, and the measurement of standard latex properties(there are many useful references to British and InternationalStandards), and, notably, of their particle size.

Much of Vol. 2 is devoted to studies of natural rubber latex,rubber-like latices obtained by emulsion polymerization ofvinyl monomers, especially butadiene and styrene, and theirchemical modiÐcations and functionalized products È notably,of course, vulcanized rubbers. This is followed by a usefulchapter on “artiÐcial laticesÏ by which the author meansredispersed solid polymers in aqueous media, an industriallyimportant and rather neglected Ðeld (again, mainly concernedwith rubbers) ; two chapters on “chemically-modiÐedÏ latices Èon prevulcanized latices, and on other types of modiÐcation,notably epoxidation, graft copolymerization, halogenation,and surface modiÐcation, (with a brief description of interpen-etrating polymer networks).

Vol. 3 is chieÑy devoted to the preparation of solutions, dis-persions and emulsions, their compounding and the use oflatices (both natural and synthetic) in a range of dipping pro-cesses, formation of foams, textile coating, paper and adhe-sives manufacture, and many other miscellaneous, and usefulapplications, including the production of vulcanized rubberthread, latex-based moulding and casting (including rotationalmoulding), manufacture of latex bonded Ðbre pads (includinguse of waste Ðbrous materials, latexÈcement mixtures, andsome modiÐcations employing bitumens.

Vol. 3 also includes an interesting account (at some length)of the various processes employed for the production of latexfoam rubbers, and the complex legal actions which took placeto determine the validity (or otherwise) of certain patents. Asit stands, it is probably out-of-place in a volume with this titleÈ although the author was obviously involved È but anypolymer scientist who may become enmeshed in this complexarea would certainly Ðnd the discussion interesting, if only asa reÑection of the strange (to scientists) attitudes of mind ofpatent lawyers.

This is useful, often unusual, work, rather expensive (theprice is over 4000% greater than the First Edition !), withfewer than 20% of the listed references later than 1980 : andhardly any in languages other than English (the deep mines ofGerman and Japanese patents are largely untouched, evenwith access through Chemical Abstracts). Many topics dis-cussed at length are not available in such detail elsewhere. Ine†ect, the treatment is historical, and the work should be wel-comed as a precursor which places many works on currentpractice and performance in perspective.

A.C. Finch

Technology for waterborne coatings, ACS symposium seriesNo. 663Edited by J. E. Glass.American Chemical Society, 1997.pp. viii] 304, price US$109.95.ISBN 08412 35015

This symposium series of the American Chemical Society isdesigned to publish symposia as rapidly as possible fromcamera-ready copy, although the insistence of the ACS on“peer reviewÏ (i.e. comments by a worker in a related spherewho knows less than the author) inevitably causes some delay.This volume is based on a symposium in August 1995.Various methods have been used to avoid or reduce organicsolvents in coatings, including powder coatings, but the clas-sical method of using waterborne materials, still a majorbranch of coatings technology, is mainly based on polymerlatices (which are also known as emulsions).

The 15 chapters discuss conventional types of latices andalso those based on epoxides and polyurethanes (chapters 5and 9), with a useful chapter on the problems of the manufac-ture of paint from alkyd emulsions, stressing the major di†er-ences on drying behaviour compared with traditionalsolvent-based paints.

851998 Society of Chemical Industry. Polymer International 0959-8103/98/$17.50 Printed in Great Britain(