LAUSR

Polysiloxane/polyacrylate (PSi/PA) core/shell latexes are fabricated, and the particle morphology, the film structure, as well as the properties of the latex films are investigated by comparing with blend latexes, and the relationship between structure and property is proposed. Results indicate that the structure and property of the latex films heavily depend on the particle morphology. The sea–island latex films with uniform distribution of PSi phases can be formed from the PSi/PA core/shell latexes, and with the mass ratio from 1:1 to 1:4, their tensile strength and elongation at break are close to the pure PA latex film, while the elastic recovery and water vapor permeability improve notably. It is found that the phase segregation occurs in the blend latex films, and although the blend latex films provide better water vapor breathability, their mechanical properties sacrifice obviously. Therefore, the various properties must be balanced for practical applications and the core/shell latexes are competitive for meeting the balanced requirements. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45258.