The Body and the Reproduction of Femininity

The preparation of stable aqueous latices from solvent dispersions of elastomers and other high polymer compositions has presented problems including excessive viscosity during processing and foaming, which have produced losses and increased costs. Herein combinations of steps are disclosed which reduce or eliminate various of these problems and enable the preparation of stable latices of high solids content. The process in common with that of related copending applications is characterized, inter alia, by the establishment of a flow of steam as a continuous phase into which an emulsion of a cement of the polymer is dispersed as an aerosol of latex droplets in a solvent-vapor continuum, followed by coalescence of the latex droplets and separation of the resulting coalesced liquid phase from the resulting solvent-vapor phase. In one embodiment of the present method an aqueous emulsion is prepared the dispersed phase of which principally comprises particles of precursor latex particle size and which may contain a lesser proportion of particles of greater than precursor latex particle size. This emulsion is converted to a stable latex by subjecting the same to special conditions which cause selective agglomeration of the particles of greater than precursor latex particle size, and removing the so agglomerated particles to yield a latex essentially free of particles of greater than colloidal size.