Styrene-acrylic emulsion polymers are based on a group of chemicals that are true workhorses in the field of polymer chemistry. Known as acrylates, this group includes acrylic acid and its esters — methyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. All of these acrylic mono... read more
Acrylic polymer emulsions are one of the great success stories of modern industrial chemistry. The science behind this versatile class of polymers was perfected just after World War II, driven by an unprecedented housing boom and the demand for more versatile, more efficient paints. The result was ... read more
Carboxylated latexes are the most widely used of all commercial latexes. When selecting the best emulsion polymer for your project, however, why would you choose a carboxylated polymer over a non-carboxylated polymer? It comes down to one property: adhesion. Paint is a good example of an applicati... read more
Concrete is an ancient material. It was used in the Middle East as early as 6,500 B.C. to construct floors, housing structures and underground cisterns. In the Roman era, circa 600 B.C., concrete was used even more extensively. Roman engineers poured their mix into wooden forms and stacked the harde... read more
As explained in the “Introduction to Polymer-Modified Concrete,” when polymers are added to concrete, the resulting material is known as polymer-modified concrete (PMC), polymer cement concrete (PCC) or, when it’s used specifically on bridge decking, as latex-modified concrete (LMC). The many advant... read more