[gluedudeguru]

I am messing my latex paint formulation.

I know that some paints have ammonia in them to adjust the pH for a few reason, the only one that i have heard is to give the pigmented color depth.

Is basifying (good word) the latex paint helpful (I am currently at pH 5.5, i am aiming for pH of 9) and would a different base be acceptable in the proper conc. perhaps 50% NaOH?  In otherwords, is pH just the reason for ammonia or is there something else?

[Fleaker]

Base is added to latex to stabilize it. Why? Remember that a latex is basically an aqueous emulsion, now think, how are emulsions made stable? Think about charge-charge interactions and you will see the answer!

[hugh111111]

As Fleaker says the base is present for electrostatic stabilisation.

Titanium dioxide is the white pigment which is present to achieve opacity and colour depth. The titanium dioxide is electrostatically stabilised by the base. In some cases the base is requires to neutralise a thickener polymer. The tightly coiled polymer unfolds and the paint achieves full viscosity by chain entanglement.

You should aim for a pH of 8.5 to 9.0, you can use NaOH (caustic) or ammonia solution. 50% is very high concentration, it would be very easy to overshoot. Try 10% solution - you should only need a small addition.