Styrene-butadiene (SB) latex is a common type of emulsion polymer used in a number of industrial and commercial applications. Because it’s composed of two different types of monomers, styrene and butadiene, SB latex is classified as a copolymer. Styrene is derived from reacting benzene and ethylene... read more
Glass certainly seems like a solid substance — it’s hard and brittle at room temperature — but glass exhibits other properties that make it unique, which is why chemists classify it as an amorphous solid. Amorphous solids are those that have short-range order but no long-range order. In this case, ... read more
Polymers are unlike other types of materials because of their high molecular weight. Molecular weight is the value used to express the size of a molecule. Water, for example, has a molecular weight of 18 atomic mass units. Polymers are much larger, with molecular weights ranging from tens of thousa... read more
Nitrile elastomers are emulsion polymers produced using rubber polymerization techniques. Also known as nitrile emulsions or nitrile latexes, these are dispersions of acrylonitrile and butadiene — or sometimes styrene — in water. Nitrile elastomers are true colloids, defined as a homogenous amorpho... read more
Moisture vapor transmission rate, also called water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), is the amount of water vapor that passes through a substance or material over a specific period of time. Having the ability to measure MVTR is a key factor in controlling moisture in a wide range of products. Manuf... read more