Lateral surface nonuniformities in drying latex films

The length scales of film, thickness nonuniformities, commonly observed in polymer colloid (i.e., latex) films, are predicted. This prediction is achieved by investigating the stability behavior of drying latex films. A linear stability analysis is performed on a base solution representing a uniformly drying latex film containing a surfactant. The analysis identifies film thickness nonuniformities over two length scales: long (millimeter) range (from lubrication theory) and short (micrometer) range (from nonlubrication theory). Evaporation and surfactant desorption into the bulk film are identified as the primary destabilizing mechanisms during drying. Experimental evidence through direct visualization and atomic force microscopy confirm the existence of nonuniformities over both length scales, which are shown to be functions of parameters such as initial particle volume fraction, surfactant amount, and desorption strength, while being independent of drying rate. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers