Polymer latex for the preparation of an elastomeric film having excellent stress retention properties and softness

A polymer latex composition for preparation of an elastomeric film comprising a polymer latex obtained by free-radical emulsion polymerization of a mixture of ethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising:

• a) 15 to 99 wt.-% of conjugated dienes;
• b) 0 to 80 wt.-% of ethylenically unsaturated nitrile compounds;
• c) 0 to 70 wt.-% of vinyl aromatic monomers, the sum of ethylenically unsaturated nitrile compounds b) and vinyl aromatic monomers c) being 0.95 to 84.95 wt.-%;
• d) 0.05 to 10 wt.-% of ethylenically unsaturated acids wherein the ethylenically unsaturated acids comprise
• d1) an ethylenically unsaturated acid comprising
• an acid functional group;
• and
• a spacer group separating the ethylenically unsaturated group and the acid functional group by at least 4 atoms,
• wherein the acid functional group is selected from carboxylic acid groups and phosphorous-containing acid groups;
• and
• e) 0 to 65 wt.-% of co-polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compounds,
• wherein monomers a) to e) are different from each other and the weight percentages are based on the total monomers in the mixture,
• wherein monomer d) comprises an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid,
• wherein the composition further comprises an oxirane functional compound, and
• wherein the ethylenically unsaturated acid of d1) is the sole ethylenically unsaturated acid in the mixture of ethylenically unsaturated monomers.