Liquid Film Defects
Executive summary
Liquid-latex deposits fail with repeatable industrial names. This page maps a craft symptom to that name and the first check to run.
Pinholes: entrapped air in the compound. Blown / weak wet gel: Chloroform Coagulant Number below about 2. Humidity: ideal plant 45–50% RH; extremes break cure or lamination. Webbing: fine mist or dewebbing agents. Late discoloration: incomplete leach leaves coagulant salts that accelerate discoloration under heat and light.
Use alongside Coagulant dipping and Former dip, mould cast, and flat spread.
Symptom → industrial name → first check
| Craft symptom | Industrial term | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Pinprick leaks / sieve look | Pinholes (air) | Compound air; tank fill method |
| Soft mushy gel, collapses on withdraw | Blown gel / low wet gel | Chloroform Number; coagulant strength |
| Sticky threads in crotch or fingers | Webbing | Dewebbing mist; octyl alcohol level |
| Second coat will not bond | Skin-dry / lamination fail | RH too low; chloroprene needs longer ambient dry |
| Weak cured film, chalky feel | Undercure / moisture | RH too high; oven zones |
| Yellowing or brown after storage | Leach / aging | Warm leach complete? UV packaging? |
| Tank skin or sudden thin deposit | Over- or under-stability | Mechanical stability window |
Plant notes that travel
Mild vacuum on storage. Do not entrain air when filling a dip tank. Plants treat pinholes as reject.
Webbing remedies in the handbook include a fine mist of octyl alcohol or silicone/oil emulsions. Octyl alcohol in the 0.125–0.25 phr band can reduce oil spotting if you wait about 4 hours.
Functional defects listed industrially also include weak spots, tears, bead faults, low tensile, dimensional error, and high protein from poor leach. Cause/remedy language ties to insufficient coagulant dry, under-cure, oven temperature, coagulant strength, and total solids.
Deep dives (optional)
Deep dive: Functional defect taxonomy
Industrial dipped-goods QC lists pinholes, weak spots, tears, bead faults, low tensile, dimensional error, and high protein from poor leach. Cause/remedy matrices link insufficient coagulant dry, under-cure, oven temperature, coagulant strength, and total solids. Transfer that logic carefully to wearable cast panels.
Deep dive: Leach and storage discoloration
Incomplete leach leaves salts that accelerate discoloration. Roll creases and hot storage compound the effect. See Liquid aging, storage, and care.