This book introduces the reader to latex, which is a colloidal dispersion of polymer particles in water, and explains how useful products are made from it.

The primary focus is the process by which wet latex can be transformed into coatings, adhesives, and composites in the process known as film formation. The book reviews the main experimental techniques used to study the film formation process. It then presents the fundamental concepts for each of the three main stages of the process: evaporation of water, particle deformation, and polymer diffusion. The latest experimental observations are presented along with theoretical descriptions and models. Later chapters consider the effects of surfactant on film properties and describe films made from nanocomposite particles and from blends of latex with nanoparticles, such as clays or carbon nanotubes. The book concludes with a chapter considering the remaining technical challenges and highlighting a few exciting future directions. Throughout the presentation, fundamental concepts are emphasised. Relevant models are explained in an accessible way that does not assume prior knowledge.

This book will serve as a state-of-the art reference for scientists working in industrial R&D and also for researchers in diverse academic subjects, including chemistry, physics, engineering, and materials science.

This book has emerged out of our long-time research interests on the topic of latex film formation. Over the years we have built up a repertoire of slides used in conference presentations, short courses and tutorials on the topic. The story presented in this book has thereby taken shape as it has been told and re-told to a mix of academic and industrial audiences. The book presents a wide body of work accumulated by the polymer colloids community over the past five decades, but the selection of examples has been flavoured by our particular experimental interests and development of mathematical models. We intend the book to be a starting point for academic and industrial scientists beginning research on latex film formation. The emphasis is on fundam- tal mechanisms, however, and not on applications nor on specific effects of formu- tions. We hope that the book consolidates the understanding that has been achieved to-date in the literature in a more comprehensive way than is possible in a review article. We trust that the reader will appreciate the fascination of the topic.