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An on-line control strategy to produce copolymer latexes with desired adhesive properties (resistance to shear and resistance to peel) has been developed. The strategy required a quantitative model relating adhesive properties and molecular weight distribution that was built using partial least squares regression. The model was used to determine the set-point trajectories of the monomers and chain transfer agent that are used as manipulated variables in the control strategy. The control strategy was experimentally verified to produce an n-butyl acrylate/styrene copolymer latex with a resistance to shear of 1310 s and resistance to, peel of 3.1 N/100 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model relating the adhesive properties and the complete molecular weight distribution of n-butyl acrylate/styrene latexes of fixed copolymer molar composition (85/15) was constructed using partial least squares regression (PLS-R). This quantitative relationship allows the prediction of the adhesive properties of the latexes from MWD measurements. After validation of the model, it was combined with a control strategy, which allows the production of latexes of controlled copolymer composition and MWD. The resulting system can be regarded as a method for the control of the adhesive properties of the latex. This methodology was satisfactorily validated experimentally by the production of two latexes of different adhesive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]