Poly(vinyl acetate) PVAc, in nanolatices with 10% polymer content, prepared by microemulsion polymerization was crosslinked by gamma and UV radiation. PVAc colloidal nanoparticles (average diameter, Dp = 58 nm) had Mw = 562,000 g/mol and about 95% conversions. PVAc nanolatices irradiated by gamma rays (113 kGy) at room temperature without crosslinking agent and by UV light (30300 s exposure times) in the presence of divinylbenzene and allyl methacrylate showed crosslinking of up to 96% (high gel content), Dp < 100 nm and did not degrade as shown by FTIR spectroscopy. DSC and TGA characterization of irradiated PVAc samples indicated that Tg temperatures increased from 28 degrees C for PVAc to 42 degrees C and 39 degrees C for UV and gamma rays crosslinked PVAc, respectively, whereas 10% weight losses occurred at 261 degrees C for uncrosslinked PVAc and at 320 and 313 degrees C for UV and gamma rays crosslinked PVAc. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012