# Coagulant Dipping for Wearable Thickness

Human page: https://retifist.com/literature-reviews/liquid-coagulant-dipping-wearable-thickness

> **Safety.** Acetic coagulants need PPE (add acid to water). Warm leach required. No Cu/brass in dip or leach contact.[^1][^2] See [Allergy and Skin Contact](/literature-reviews/allergy-and-skin-contact).

## Executive summary

Coagulant dipping: coat former with coacervant, dwell in compounded latex, withdraw gelled shell. Typical single-dip dry thickness **0.2–0.8 mm**.[^3] Films **>~8 mil** usually use coagulant for economics.[^4] Levers: coacervant strength, dwell (√t kinetics),[^5] viscosity, withdrawal. Warm leach and **45–50% RH** follow.[^1][^6]

Use after [Former dip, mould cast, and flat spread](/literature-reviews/liquid-former-dip-vs-mould-cast-vs-flat-spread).

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## When coagulant beats straight multi-dip

Straight dips deposit ~0.01–0.05 mm dry per pass. Coagulant destabilizes a thick gel layer in one dwell.[^3] Time-and-gauge trade, not automatic superiority without leach and stability discipline.

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## Coacervant families

**Dry coacervants** (CaCl₂, Ca(NO₃)₂, cyclohexylammonium acetate) predominate; solvent evaporates before latex dip.[^3] **Wet coacervants** (e.g. acetic acid) less common; some CR / fabric-lined glove contexts.[^2]

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## Dwell time and thickness

Deposit thickness often rises with √dwell time until coacervant is depleted. Higher viscosity increases deposit. Long dwell can leave strong inner gel + weak outer fluid layer.[^5] Curves are compound-specific.

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## Stability, pinholes, and air

Mechanical stability, predictable precure (Chloroform Coagulant No. ~2–3), adequate wet gel strength.[^7] Chloroform No. **<2** → blown weak wet gel.[^7] Entrapped air → pinholes → reject.[^7] Mild vacuum on storage; do not entrain air filling the tank.

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## Leach, humidity, second dip

Warm-water leach required; improves cured properties and discoloration resistance.[^1] Ideal plant **20–26 °C, 45–50% RH**.[^6] High RH: retained moisture, depressed tensile. Low RH: skin-dry, poor second-dip lamination. CR needs more ambient dry than NR before second dip.[^6]

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## Decision cues

```text
Target dry > ~0.2 mm one pass? → consider coagulant branch
Have warm leach + humidity control? → if no, fix environment before raising coacervant %
Weak wet gel / blown deposit? → check Chloroform No., not only Ca salt %
Second dip planned? → control first-film moisture (not skin-dry)
```

Defects: [Liquid film defects](/literature-reviews/liquid-film-defect-atlas).

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<details>
<summary>Deep dive: Coacervant bases</summary>

CaCl₂ / Ca nitrate / IMS / water blends; cyclohexylammonium acetate variant; alcoholic Ca nitrate; 20% CaCl₂; aqueous acetic for CR.[^3][^2]

</details>

<details>
<summary>Deep dive: Deposit kinetics</summary>

Gorton θ′ = A + B√t; viscosity term. NR / TSC specific.[^5]

</details>

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## Endnotes

[^1]: Vanderbilt Latex Handbook — leach, RH (Ch 16).
[^2]: Vanderbilt Latex Handbook — coagulant families (Ch 16).
[^3]: *Polymer Latices Vol 3 — Application of Latices* — coagulant dipping (§17.2.3).
[^4]: Vanderbilt Latex Handbook — >8 mil economics (Ch 16).
[^5]: *Polymer Latices Vol 3* — √t kinetics (§17.2.3).
[^6]: Vanderbilt Latex Handbook — humidity / lamination (Ch 16).
[^7]: Vanderbilt Latex Handbook — pinholes, wet gel, chloroform number (Ch 16).