Emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate

The kinetics of the emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate have been examined over a range of comonomer compositions. The rate of polymerization was found to increase dramatically in the presence of small amounts of sodium styrene sulfonate. This increase is attributed to the increased number of particles formed when sodium styrene sulfonate was present and to a gel effect enhanced by ion association. At low concentrations of functional comonomer, where a monodisperse product was obtained, a homogeneous nucleation mechanism of particle generation is proposed. At higher concentrations, broader and then bimodal size distributions were obtained, and this is ascribed to significant aqueous phase polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate. The water-soluble homopolymer is supposed to act as a locus of polymerization. The occurrence of this aqueous phase side reaction and the generation of secondary particles makes impossible the preparation of highly sulfonated polystyrene latexes by batch or seeded batch emulsion copolymerization.     

Emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization with ionic comonomer

Emulsion polymerization of styrene in the absence of emulsifier with K₂S₂O₈ as initiator produced uniform latices. Incorporation of ca. 0.5% ionic comonomer (sodium styrenesulfonate) reduced the particle size from the range 0.5–1.0 μm achieved in prior emulsifier free formulations to a range of 0.15–0.40 μm. Some advantages achieved by incorporation of ionic comonomer were higher polymer content and independently controllable surface charge density. Particle diameter varied as the 0.64 power of the ratio of ionic strength to comonomer, as the ?0.20 power of initiator concentration, and as the 0.46 power of monomer content. Kinetic data suggest that copolymerization takes place in the aqueous phase, and that nuclei for particle growth are formed by precipitation of the initially water-soluble copolymer. The latex is stabilized by sulfonic acid groups of the comonomer, as well as by sulfate end groups from the initiator.     

Dispersion copolymerization of styrene and other vinyl monomers in polar solvents

Dispersion polymerization is a very attractive method for preparing micrometer‐size monodisperse polymer particles. The applications of microspheres have been greatly expanded by the use of copolymers. Here, the dispersion copolymerization of styrene and seven other vinyl monomers was carried out in polar solvents. The effect of the different comonomers on the particle size was systematically investigated. The particle size first decreased and then increased with an increasing fraction of acrylamide in the monomer feed, and at a higher fraction of such a comonomer, only a gel‐like polymer was obtained. The particle size also increased with the increase in the contents of the hydrophilic comonomers in the monomer mixtures, and the copolymer molecular weight decreased meanwhile. Although the amount of the hydrophobic comonomer in the monomer mixture changed, the particle size was hardly affected. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 555–561, 2001     

Miniemulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate. I. Differences between the miniemulsion copolymerization and the emulsion copolymerization processes

Differences between the emulsion copolymerization and miniemulsion copolymerization processes, in terms of emulsifier adsorption, emulsion stability, polymerization kinetics, copolymer composition and dynamic mechanical properties were studied for the comonomer mixture of 50:50 molar ratio vinyl acetate (VA+)—butyl acrylate (BuA), using sodium hexadecyl sulfate (SHS) as a surfactant and hexadecane (HD) as a co-surfactant. The use of hexadecane with the appropriate SHS initial concentration led to a higher adsorption of surfactant, smaller droplet size, higher stability of the emulsions, lower polymerization rates, and larger latex particle size. The copolymer composition during the initial 70% conversion was found to be less rich in Vac monomer units for the miniemulsion process. The dynamic mechanical properties of the copolymer films showed less mixing between the BuA-rich core and the VAc-rich shell in the miniemulsion latexes compared to the conventional latex films.     

Charged polystyrene nanoparticles: role of ionic comonomers structures

Emulsion copolymerizations of styrene were carried out with four structurally different ionic comonomers namely acrylic acid (AAc), methacrylic acid (MAA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and sodium styrene sulfonate (NaSS) to study the effect of monomer structure on the copolymerization kinetics and size, morphology, charge density, and the self-assembly of the particles. The copolymerization kinetics was found to be highly dependent upon the ionic comonomer structure, and the nature of this dependence altered from homogeneous to micellar nucleation regime. The decrease in particle size (D) with increasing surfactant concentration (S) was observed in all the cases; however, the exponents of D vs. S were not similar for all the cases. In the homogeneous nucleation regime, exponents followed the order as AAc (0.446) > MAA (0.396) > NaSS (0.252) > HEMA (0.241), whereas the order was almost reversed in the micellar nucleation regime as NaSS (0.406) > HEMA (0.228) > AAc (0.206) > MAA (0.172). The hydrophobic/hydrophilic character and the steric factors were found to be the driving force for the variation in D vs. S exponents with ionic comonomer structure. The presence of charges on the particle surface contributed by the ionic comonomers triggered the self-assembly of the particles upon sedimentation and diffracted visible light obeying Bragg's law.     

Effect of hydrophilic comonomer and surfactant type on the colloidal stability and size distribution of carboxyl- and amino-functionalized polystyrene particles prepared by miniemulsion polymerization

Carboxyl and amino-functionalized polystyrene latex particles were synthesized by the miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene and acrylic acid or 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMH). The reaction was started by using an oil-soluble initiator, such as 2,2'-azobis(2-methylbutyronitrile) (V-59). The effect of the functional monomer content and type of surfactant (non-ionic versus ionic) on the particle size and particle size distribution was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A bimodal particle size distribution was observed for functionalized latex particles prepared in the presence of the non-ionic surfactant (i.e., Lutensol AT-50) when 1 wt % of acrylic acid or 3 wt % of AEMH as a comonomer was employed. The copolymer particle nucleation was studied by using a highly hydrophobic fluorescent dye. From the obtained results, the formation of bimodal particle size distribution may be attributed to a budding-like effect, which takes place during the earlier stage of polymerization and is caused by the additional stabilizing energy originated from the ionic groups of a functional polymer. The reaction mechanism of particle formation in the presence of non-ionic and ionic surfactants has been proposed. The amount of the surface functional groups was determined from polyelectrolyte titration data.     

Core-shell emulsion copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile on polystyrene seed particles

Seeded emulsion copolymerization of an azeotropic composition of styrene (St) and an acrylinitrile (AN) comonomer mixture in polystyrene (PS) seed at different polymerization temperature of 55–75°C were investigated. The kinetic data showed a transition temperature at 65°C, above which the activation energy of polymerization is low, 6.1 Kcal/mol, compared with 9.8 Kcal/mol below it. The particle-size results and thin layer chromatographic (TLC) data showed two types of particle of different composition and morphology in the final latex system: a smaller size of (St–AN) copolymer and a larger size of core-PS and (St–AN) copolymer shell, with a zone of PS grafted (St–AN) copolymer in between. Various polymerization parameters, that is emulsifier concentration, type of seed particle and its size, and monomer/polymer ratio, were studied and their effects on particle size and particle morphology were examined. The percent of grafted core-PS was 10% below a polymerization temperature of 65°C and 40% above that temperature. By adjusting the size and number of the seed particles, monomer-polymer ratio, and emulsifier concentration conditions were established in which a final copolymer latex with “perfect” core-shell morphology was achieved.     

Preparation of sulphonate-containing polymer particles <Emphasis Type="Italic">via</Emphasis> semi-continuous emulsion copolymerizaion of styrene and sodium styrene sulphonate

Submicron-sized P(St-NaSS) latexes were prepared via a semi-continuous emulsion copolymerization of styrene (St) and sodium styrene sulphonate(NaSS) in the presence of anionic surfactant,in which NaSS aqueous solution and St were separately dropwise charged into the polymerization system at the same time.The hydrodynamic diameter of the latex particles was measured by dynamic light scattering(DSL) method,and the NaSS unit content of the purified copolymer by water extraction was calculated based on the elementary analysis.Results showed that the copolymerization could be performed smoothly with the monomer conversion more than 96%in the absence of crosslinker,and PNaSS homopolymer could be removed from the latex product by water extraction for 28 h.The weight loss in the water extraction tended to decrease and the NaSS unit content of the purified copolymer tended to increase with the increase of monomer feeding time, and both of them increased with the increase of NaSS/St mole ratio in the charge.The introduction of divinyl benzene (DVB) could decrease the weight loss in the water extraction and increase the NaSS unit content of the purified copolymer. When 25/75 mole ratio of NaSS/St and 11 mol%DVB of total NaSS and St were used in the recipe,and the monomer feeding time was 3 h in copolymerization,the NaSS unit content of the purified copolymer reached 7.31 mol%.     

Kinetics and mechanism of emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. II. Styrene/water soluble comonomer (sodium methallyl sulfonate) system

The emulsifier-free emulsion polymerizations of styrene in the presence of about 1 wt% (related to styrene) of the water soluble comonomer, sodium methallyl sulfonate (NaMS), which has short hydrophobic group and strong hydrophilic ionic group, and of the initiator, potassium persulfate, are carried out. Under constant ionic strength, the number density of polymer particles (N_p) is found to depend on 0.5-power of the initiator concentration and shows a minimum in the comonomer concentration plot. Under constant concentration of monomer, comonomer and initiator, N_p is found to depend on ?1.1-power of the ionic strength. In the earlier period, the presence of styrene oligomer having MW about 1000 and water soluble poly(NaMS) or copolymer with high NaMS content suggests a micellar nucleation mechanism, by which the styrene oligomer behaves as emulsifier and the poly(NaMS) can either stabilize or destabilize the existing particles, depending on its concentration in the aqueous phase. The particle size is rather uniform having an uniformity very close to 1 (ca. 1.001) throughout the entire process. It is much larger than that of the conventional emulsion polymerization or emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization with the other comonomers by about 3 to 4 times in diameter or 27 to 64 times in volume, leading to that the average radical number in the particle could be much greater than 0.5. The (conversion)^2/3 versus time plot is found to be linear from 6 to 50% conversion. During this period, for the conversion from 10 to 40% the polymerization rate increases twice but the particle volume increases four-fold. In addition, MWD shows bimodal (excluding the styrene oligomer peak in the earlier period) during the growth period. But the lower MW peak shifts to higher MW and become larger, while the higher MW peak decreases, and finally the MWD becomes single mode after 58.6% conversion. These results suggest a “gradient polymerization” or “transition stage to core-shell structure” in the earlier stage of particle growth and a “shell part polymerization” in the later stage.     

Preparation of copolymer microspheres of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate

Preparation of copolymer microspheres of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (2G) with several comonomers by radiation-induced radical polymerization is described. Ethyl methacrylate (EMA), acrylamide, maleic anhydride, and styrene gave microspheres successively. The copolymerization resulted in gelation more easily than the 2G homopolymerization. The allowed ratio of copolymerization is up to about 0.4 as the mole fraction of comonomer for the solution containing 10 vol % 2G monomer. Copolymerization affected the size of microspheres by keeping its narrow distribution. The size of microspheres was increased by the copolymerization with EMA and styrene and, was decreased with acrylamide. The formation of microsphere strongly depends on the crosslinking ability of monomers. The crosslinking ability and reactivity in the copolymerization cause the change of the size of the microspheres. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of styrene with ionic comonomer,nonionic comonomer,or both

Nanosized polystyrene latexes with high polymer contents were obtained from an emulsifier-free process by the polymerization of styrene with ionic comonomer, nonionic comonomer, or both. After seeding particles were generated in an initial emulsion system consisting of styrene, water, an ionic comonomer [sodium styrenesulfonate (NaSS)] or nonionic comonomer [2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)], and potassium persulfate, most of the styrene monomer or a mixture of styrene and HEMA was added dropwise to the polymerizing emulsion over 6 h. Stable latexes with high polystyrene contents (≤25%) were obtained. The latex particle weight-average diameters were largely reduced (41 nm) by the continuous addition of monomer(s) compared with those (117 nm) obtained by the one-pot polymerization method. Latex particles varied from about 30 to 250 nm in diameters, whereas their molar masses were within 10⁴ to 10⁵ g/mol. The effect of the comonomer concentration on the number of polystyrene particles per milliliter of latex and the weight-average molar masses of the copolymers during the polymerization are discussed. The surface compositions of the latex particles were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which indicated that the surface of the latex particles was significantly enriched in NaSS, HEMA, or both. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1634–1645, 2001     

Monomer reactivity ratios in graft copolymerization

This paper discusses monomer reactivity ratios in various radiation- and redox-initiated graft copolymerizations. The polymers studied were polyethylene, cellulose acetate, poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(methyl methacrylate); the comonomer mixtures were styrene–acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate–styrene, acrylonitrile–methyl acrylate, and vinyl acetate–acrylonitrile. The polymer–comonomer mixture systems were so chosen as to permit study of both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. The homogeneous systems included systems of low and high viscosity. The heterogeneous systems included both polymers swollen by the comonomer mixture and polymers not swollen by the comonomer mixture. None of the homogeneous grafting systems studied showed deviations from the normal copolymerization behavior under a variety of experimental conditions. Monomer reactivity ratios in graft copolymerization were the same as the values in nongraft copolymerization. The heterogeneous systems in which the polymer was swollen by the comonomer mixture yielded grafted copolymer compositions which were the same as those in nongraft copolymerization. The heterogeneous grafting system polytetrafluoroethylene/styrene–acrylonitrile showed deviations from normal copolymerization behavior at low degrees of grafting when the reaction was only on the polymer surface. The behavior became normal at higher degrees of grafting when the system approaches that in which the polymer is swollen by the comonomers. In all reaction systems, it was found that the use of radiation to initiate the reaction does not in any way affect the copolymerization behavior of the two monomers in a comonomer pair.     

A unique transurf in styrene emulsion polymerization

The surface-active, chain transfer agent (‘transurf’) sodium ω-mercapto-decane sulfonate, SMDSo, was synthesized, purified, and its interfacial properties determined. The compound acted normally in styrene emulsion polymerization to produce extremely stable colloids containing only sulfonate ionic surface functional groups. It was then used to control the surface charge density of a model polystyrene colloid by means of seeded emulsion polymerization. Surface charge could thus be increased 16-fold over that of the seed particles, and was due solely to sulfonate groups introduced by the SMDSo. Unlike most conventional emulsion polymerizations, this technique allows one to control surface chemistry independently of particle size. To cite this article: C.C. Fifield, R.M. Fitch, C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

K2S2O8/Na2SO3引发St/BA微乳液共聚合的研究

以十二烷基硫酸钠／十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDS／SDBS)为乳化剂，过硫酸钾／亚硫酸钠(K2S2O3／Ni2SO3)为引发剂进行苯乙烯／丙烯酸丁酯(SL／BA)微孔液共聚合反应。研究了引发剂浓度[I]OR、单体总浓度[M]、乳化剂含量[E]和聚合温度T对微孔液共聚合最大反应速率Rmax和共聚物粘均分子量^-Mη的影响，测定了共聚单体的竞聚率，结果得到：Rmax∝[I]^0.98OR[M]^0.81[E]^-0．34e^-4712／T，^-Mη∝[I]^-0.27OR[M]^0.48[E]^-0.68e^2304/T；rSt=0.598，rBA=0.0206。     

Copolymerization of styrene and reactive surfactants in a microemulsion: control of copolymer composition by addition of nonreactive surfactant

The γ-ray-induced copolymerization of styrene and the surfactant monomer (surfmer) (11-acryloyloxy)undecyltrimethylammonium bromide, 1, – with and without the presence of the nonreactive surfactant N-dodecyltrimethyammonium bromide, 2, – was studied in a single-phase (1Φ) oil-in-water microemulsion. Upon exchange of 50 weight percent of 1 against 2 the 1Φ region could be increased to higher styrene content. Upon γ-ray irradiation a copolymer is formed: this copolymer exhibits a larger styrene-to-surfmer ratio than the original monomer mixture. This allowed the styrene-to-surfmer molar ratio in the resulting polymer to be varied from 0:1 to 4.3:1. The larger styrene-to-surfmer ratio originates from the simultaneous formation of homopolymer P-1, which is in accordance with the Candau–Leong–Fitch model of polymerization. Further information on particle size and material properties of the copolymers, which is not accessible by other preparation methods, is also given. Received: 30 July 1999 /Accepted: 24 November 1999     

On the thermal degradation of poly(styrene sulfone)s: II. Determination of copolymer triad sequence composition

The composition of the poly(styrene sulfone)s formed were measured for comonomer liquid mixtures with Xst=0.10.9 at the temperature of 50°C. Copolymerization was initiated with AIBN as the initiator. The copolymer composition showed an increase with an increasing amount of comonomer. The copolymerization of styrene with sulfur dioxide to form a variable composition polysulfone with an average styrene:sulfur dioxide molar ratio n≥1.0 was also examined. The pen-penultimate modeling of copolymerization was used to account for the triad monomer sequence and composition of poly(styrene sulfone). It was found that the theoretical modeling of copolymerization can very effectively evaluate the triad monomer sequence and composition of poly(styrene sulfone).     

表面活性单体存在下的MMA/BA乳液共聚合(Ⅱ)聚合动力学及机理

研究了表面活性单体[磺化-十二醇-烯丙基甘油-丁二酸酯钠盐(ZC-L)]的用量对MMA/BA/ZC-L乳液聚合速率和粒径的影响,用CoulterLS230型激光粒径分析仪测定聚合过程中乳液的粒径和粒径分布变化,并与MMA/BA无皂乳液聚合及十二烷基苯磺酸钠存在下的MMA/BA乳液聚合作了比较.[ZC-L]CMC时,成核机理包括均相成核和胶束成核机理,生成的粒子因吸收体系中的表面活性单体而稳定存在.     

表面活性单体存在下的MMA／BA乳液共聚合（Ⅱ）：聚合动力？…

研究了表面活性单体「磺化－十二醇－烯丙基甘油－丁二酸酯钠盐（ＺＣ－Ｌ）」的用量对ＭＭＡ／ＢＡ／ＺＣ－Ｌ乳液聚合速率和粒径的影响,用Ｃｏｒｌｔｉｒ ＬＳ２３０型激光粒径分析仪测定聚合过程中乳液的粒径和粒径分布变化,并与ＭＭＡ／ＢＡ无皂乳液聚合及十二烷基苯磺酸钠存在下的ＭＭＡ／ＢＡ乳液聚合作了比较。「ＺＣ－Ｌ」〈ＣＭＣ时,成核机理为均相成核机理,乳胶粒需依靠粒子间的凝聚来提高表面电荷密度而稳定;「ＺＣ     

Concentration effect in copolymerization of sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate with sodium acrylate in aqueous solutions

The effect of the concentration of the initial monomer mixture, the comonomer ratio, and temperature on the kinetic parameters of the process and the characteristics of the resulting copolymers in the homogeneous copolymerization of sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate with sodium acrylate in aqueous solutions at 50–80°C in the presence of potassium persulfate is studied. The initial rate of copolymerization and the molecular mass of copolymers increase with the total initial concentration of the monomer mixture and the content of sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate. As temperature increases, the initial rate of copolymerization increases and the molecular mass of the copolymer diminishes. When copolymerization is performed in 10, 30, and 40% aqueous solutions of the monomers, the resulting copolymers are enriched in sodium acrylate units. The content of sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-sulfonate units in the copolymer slightly increases with an increase in the total initial concentration of the monomer mixture.     

Kinetics and mechanism of emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization: Styrene-methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid system

The emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of functional monomer acrylic acid (AA) was carried out in batch process. The kinetics was investigated in detail using model function, Integrated Gamma Function. The morphology and size of particles were monitored continuously by TEM all along the polymerization. It was found that the nucleation, polymerization rate increase with increasing concentration of the functional monomer AA, initiator ammonium persulfate (APS), and polymerization temperature T, and APS plays a predominant role in the particle nucleation process. The particle nucleation stage ceased at about 10% conversion and the steady stage can be extended to about 70% conversion. The particle nucleation is likely to yield primary particle via the mechanism of homogeneous coagulative nucleation and coagulation of the primary particle to yield uniform particles. The particle growth in the postnucleation stage is via a shell growth mechanism. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2649–2656, 1999