Some aspects of polymer colloids I. Preparation and properties of different types of latex particles

The boundary region separating a latex particle from the surrounding medium has a great influence on the properties of latex dispersions. Four types of polystyrene and polystyrene/comonomer latices differing greatly in the structure of the boundary region were prepared. The first part of a series of papers reports on the preparation of the various latex dispersions. Mean particle sizes were obtained from simple turbidity measurements, quasi-elastic light scattering, and electron micrographs. The behavior of the particles in the centrifugal force field is a simple tool for detecting aggregation tendencies that are not directly related to salt stability. The BET-surface area agrees with the area calculated from the mean particle size when a sharp boundary and smooth surface is developed between the particle and the surrounding medium. In the case of particles with extended boundary regions (core/shell particles or particles with hairy envelopes), film formation reduces the specific surface area. Removal of soluble oligomers and polymers from the boundary region during subsequent treatments (purification and centrifugation before freeze-drying) can increase the surface area considerably.     

Swelling and dissolution of latex dispersions of the ethyl acrylate-methacrylic acid copolymers during alkalization

By using non-Newtonian viscometry and the static light-scattering method, changes in the structure of particles of latex dispersions of ethyl acrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer during alkalization with ammonium hydroxide were investigated. It was found that in dispersions with an acid content up to 20 wt% the particles only swell; at acid content between 20 and 40 wt% they decompose to smaller units represented by supermolecular aggregates of macromolecules, and only when approximately starting from 40 wt% of acid does the copolymer become molecularly dissolved. This means that even if dispersions with an acid content from c. 20 wt% are clarified by alkalization, no complete dissolution takes place.     

Study of the polymer latex coalescence by dielectric measurements at microwave frequency—feasibility of the method

The measurement of the complex dielectric constant ( ^*=–j) in the dipolar absorption domain of the free water molecule (microwave region) permits us to follow quasi-specifically and precisely the water circulation during the coalescence process of a latex. Weight losses and dielectric constants variations have been simultaneously recorded upon latex drying, in a resonant cavity at 5 and 9 GHz and under controlled atmosphere and temperature. Two different latexes were studied (polybutylacrylate (PBuA) and polystyrene (PS)) from which the glass transition temperature effect was investigated. It is found that the harder the polymer particles, the more clearly evidenced the flocculation and packing points are. This method appears to be quite reliable for discriminating the various steps in the film formation process of latexes.     

The influence of surfactants on latex flocculation with poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride)

Aqueous latex was flocculated by mixtures of poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride), PDADMAC, and anionic surfactants. Sodium dodecyl sulfate, (SDS), and Aerosol OT influenced flocculation whereas nonionic Tergitol NP-10 did not. The flocculation domains were correlated with properties of the polymer-surfactant complexFlocculation was never observed above the CMC of the corresponding surfactant solution without polymer or latex. At SDS concentrations greater than 10^–3.6 M the flocculation boundary corresponded to the first appearance of insoluble polymer-surfactant complex which was characterized by dynamic light scattering and microelectrophoresis. Under these conditions latex (diameter 570 nm) and dispersed polymer-surfactant complex particles (diameters between 30 and 2 000 nm) displayed simultaneous homo and heteroflocculation. The boundaries of the flocculation domains at low surfactant concentration were determined by the ratio of polymer to latex and by the net electrostatic charge of the soluble polymer-surfactant complex. On the other hand, the mechanisms controlling flocculation boundaries in the dispersed polymer-surfactant domain require further clarification.     

Determination of the structure factor for concentrated silica dispersions using small angle x-ray scattering I. Simulation

The structure factor of a concentrated colloidal suspension is an important means in the characterization of the interaction forces between the colloidal particles. It can, in principle, be determined with small angle x-ray scattering. To avoid unacceptably long measuring times, one has to use a high power x-ray source or a slit collimation camera. The first is not readily accessible because of the very high costs. The latter is available in many laboratories, but here the fundamental information is contained in the data in a complicated way. A so-called desmearing operation is needed to reveal this information. Because of the different experimental errors and their sensitivity to the desmearing, the accuracy of the structure factor will be rather limited. In this paper we simulate the experimental errors separately to check their influence in combination with the desmearing.Although the overall accuracy is limited some important features can be determined. The value atK=0 and thus the osmotic compressibility can be calculated, and the position and the height of the first maximum in the structure factor are quite reliable too. This gives some insight in the type of interaction and the influence of polydispersity.Special attention should be given to the determination of the form factor by using extra long measuring times for the very diluted sample, this will improve the overall accurary.     

SAXS experiments on gel-spun polyethylene fibers

The properties of gel-spun polyethylene fibers hot-drawn to the maximum draw ratio depend on the spinning conditions. Different spinning conditions result in two types of structure in the paraffin oil containing fibers: an isotropic lamellar structure or a shish-kebab structure. Meridional SAXS experiments can identify the structure present. After extraction, these structures are still present but can be detected only in a more indirect way by SAXS experiments because of an excessive contribution of void scattering. During hot-drawing both structures are transformed into a more fibrillar structure. The shish-kebab structures can be drawn only to relatively low hot-draw ratios with an incomplete transformation of the lamellar overgrowth into the fibrils, as demonstrated by the presence of a meridional SAXS maximum/shoulder. This leads to relatively weak fibers. Lamellar structures can be drawn to high draw ratios by chain unfolding. A nearly complete transformation of the lamellae into fibrils is obtained and the fibers have excellent properties. The information about the morphology obtained by SAXS, DSC, WAXS, and SEM can be used to establish a relation between morphology and properties.     

Solvent-induced phase separation in polycarbonate blends PC/TMPC

Compatibility of the polycarbonates of bisphenol A (PC) and tetramethyl bisphenol A (TMPC) was studied in glassy films cast from CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature, and above the glass-transition temperature. Blends with different compositions and of different molecular weights were analyzed by DSC and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Solution studies were made with light scattering and microscopy. Some of the blend films were two-phased when cast at room temperature, but all films were one-phased in equilibrium above the glass transition. The SANS data demonstrated that phase separation in the cast films was not caused by inherent incompatibility of PC and TMPC, but was induced by the solvent CH₂Cl₂. The effect is caused by a closed miscibility gap in the ternary solution system PC/TMPC/CH₂Cl₂.     

Polymer adsorption on fine particles; the effects of particle size and its stability

The effects of particle size on polyacrylamide (PAAm,M _w =59×10⁴, 500×10⁴) adsorption were investigated using a series of well-characterized hematite (-Fe₂O₃) dispersions. The -Fe₂O₃ particles with highly monodisperse and nearly spherical shape ranged in radius from 23 nm to 300 nm. the maximum amount of PAAm adsorption (M _m ) in each system, showed a steady increase with decreasing particle radius and was influenced strongly by particle concentrations in the medium. Furthermore, it was realized that the diameter of -Fe₂O₃ particles after treatment with PAAm under different particle concentrations decreased with increasing particle concentration. The relation between particle concentration in the medium and particle size after treatment was also influenced by the medium pH, i.e., at the medium pH close to the isoelectric point of -Fe₂O₃ particles (pH^o=9.2), the particle size after treatment increased with increasing particle concentration. All these results suggest that in the system of ultra-fine particles, the mixing process between particle-particle and polymerparticle will play an important role on the conformation of adsorbed polymer layer.     

Characteristic changes of pH during the alkalization of latex dispersions of the ethyl acrylate — methacrylic acid copolymers

The titration curves of latex dispersions of ethyl acrylate — methacrylic acid copolymers have a rather complex shape which indicates a strong dependence of the apparent dissociation constant of carboxylic groups on the degree of neutralization and copolymer composition. These dependences seem to be related to changes in the macroscopic structure (swelling and disintegration) of dispersion particles during alkalization.     

A small-angle neutron scattering study on polydisperse silica spheres coated with polyisobutene

Neutron-scattering studies at small angles are performed on dilute dispersions of small, polydisperse silica spheres coated with polyisobutene in mixtures of h₁₂ and d₁₂-cyclohexane. The contrast variation method is applied to reveal the internal structure of the compound particles. For a detailed interpretation of the scattering curves, it is assumed that the particles consist of spherical silica cores with concentric PIB-layers into which solvent molecules can penetrate. Also the polydispersity of the particle cores is taken into account. Model calculations fit the experimental curves fairly well except for the curves near the matching point, and at higher wavevectors, where experimental errors are relatively large due to the smallness of the scattering of the particles compared to that of the background.     

Spontaneous film formation from a polymer solution

An unusual continuous film formation process of lateral pentyloxy substituted poly(p-phenylene terephthalate)s (s-PPPT) and poly(carbonate) (PC) is observed. A liquid film of polymer solution creeps over the surface of water dropped into the polymer solution. By vaporization of the solvent a solid polymer film is formed on the water surface and can be removed. The driving force for the film formation mechanism is assumed by the reduction of the surface tension of water. Experiments verify this mechanism by increasing the film formation speed using a gas stream, by reducing the formation speed through lowering the surface tension by rinsing agents, and by lowering the solubility of the polymer. As expected, no effects are found by variation of the pH-value of water. Necessary conditions for the film formation process are: good solubility of the polar polymers in organic solvents having a high vapor pressure, complete phase separation, solution density higher than water density, and a surrounding gas phase unsaturated with solvent vapor.The thickness of the mechanically stable films is less than 0.5 m. The films are amorphous by microscopical, FT-IR, x-ray, and DTA investigations.     

Small-angle neutron scattering on shear-induced micellar structures

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on sheared aqueous surfactant solutions of tetradecyltrimethylammoniumsalicylate (TTMA-Sal) are reported. A5-mM-solution without shear shows a weak correlation peak at a momentum transfer of 0.09 nm^–1 which has its origin in the micellar interaction. For shear rates above a threshold value of =40 s^–1 the scattering pattern shows an irregular increase in anisotropy. The analysis of the anisotropic pattern reveals the existence of two types of micelles: Small rodlike micelles which are weakly aligned and very large rodlike aggregates which are strongly aligned and which are present above the threshold value of. The two micelles are in equilibrium with each other and the equilibrium shifts with increasing shear rate to the side of the large oriented micelles.     

SAXS study of core-shell colloids

Polymeric core-shell systems were produced by a two-stage emulsion polymerization technique under fixed conditions: i) monodisperse seed latex with a sufficiently high particle number; ii) starved monomer-II addition; iii) water-soluble initiator; iv) incompatibility of core and shell polymer. From electron micrographs, it is not possible to determine where the second polymer is located within these two-stage emulsion polymers. The internal structure of the particles can be detected by small-angle x-ray scattering. The results indicate that; i) the emulsion polymerization process takes place in a small surface layer region of the seed particles, and ii) a small interfacial layer exists between the core and shell polymer.Part 6 of Polymerizations in the Presence of Seeds     

X-ray scattering by black foam films

The x-ray scattering by the three types of black foam films (common black, Newton black, and stratified black films) was experimentally studied. A special device in which flat black films with an area of ca. 2 cm² can be produced was developed and x-ray diffraction patterns were obtained by a vertical diffractometer. The three types of films differ significantly in their x-ray reflections, which proves that they have different structure. For common black films, the comparison of observed and calculated intensities lead to a model, which corresponds to the three-layer model. The Newton black films exhibit diffraction trace with only one highly asymetric peak and there is, as of yet, no unambigous interpretation. The patterns of the stratified black films have several pronounced sharp peaks corresponding to the areas of different films with a given thickness.     

Changes in electrokinetic properties of natural rubber latex after surface chemical modifications

High-ammonia latex concentrate prepared from doubly-concentrifuged fieldHevea latex was exhaustively dialyzed to remove any residual water-soluble non-rubber constituents. The specially purified latex was then treated with specific chemical reagents to modify the surface ionogenic groupings originally present on the latex particle surface. The electrophoretic mobility of the modified latexes was investigated as a function of pH. The change in electrokinetic properties of the surface-modified latex was explained in terms of chemical modification to the ionogenic groups of the adsorbed layer of proteins and long chain fatty acid soaps on the latex particle surface, the negative charges of which are primarily responsible for the colloidal stability of the latex. For comparison direct extraction of the long-chain fatty acid soaps from the specially purified latex by solvent was also carried out. Present results indicate that the number of carboxyl groups from the adsorbed long-chain fatty acid soaps plays a major role in the stabilization of the latex concentrate. In comparison the contribution of negative charges from the adsorbed proteins towards the stability of the latex is of less importance.     

Discussion of craze formation and growth in amorphous polymers in terms of the multiplicity of glass transition at low temperatures

A craze, the typical deformation zone in an amorphous polymer, can be divided into a precraze and a proper craze. A better understanding of the two corresponding formation processes is possible in terms of glass transition multiplicity.The precraze is associated with the molecular mobility in the confined flow zone, which is part of the main transition. The proper craze corresponds to the mobility in the flow transition zone (terminal zone for shear). A negative pressure generated by nonuniaxial stress is considered to be important for the maintainance of the molecular mobility in these zones belowT _g . The behavior of the zones at negative pressure and low temperatures Tg is considered using a pressure-temperature diagram. The fibril structure of crazes is discussed by a defect diffusion model for the proper glass transition; it is correlated with the sequential physical aging of the corresponding frozen structural defects. Typical mode lengths of the molecular mobilities in the different zones are compared with typical craze parameters. The structure of the craze material is considered to result from confined flow processes which cannot percolate because in the main transition the flow is confined by entanglements, and in the flow transition zone the flow is stopped by releasing the negative pressure due to crack propagation.     

Surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of styrene using crosslinked seed particles

The aim of this research was to prepare a monodisperse polystyrene latex without surfactants adsorbed at the particle surface. Conventional polymerization formulations usually lead to large amounts of oligomers. Furthermore, they are characterized by a low reproducibility with respect to particle size. This was overcome by using a seed latex that was crosslinked in order to overcome dissolution in the monomer phase. By adjusting the seed concentration, any desired particle size in the range 0.5–1.2 m could be obtained. The monodispersity was very good.     

Adsorption of anionic surfactants on positively charged polystyrene particles II

In the case of cationic polystyrene latex, the adsorption of anionic surfactants involves a strong electrostatic interaction between both the particle and the surfactant, which may affect the conformation of the surfactant molecules adsorbed onto the latex-particle surface. The adsorption isotherms showed that adsorption takes place according to two different mechanisms. First, the initial adsorption of the anionic surfactant molecules on cationic polystyrene surface would be due to the attractive electrostatic interaction between both ionic groups, laying the alkyl-chains of surfactant molecules flat on the surface as a consequence of the hydrophobic interaction between these chains and the polystyrene particle surface, which is predominantly hydrophobic. Second, at higher surface coverage the adsorbed surfactant molecules may move into a partly vertical orientation with some head groups facing the solution. According to this second mechanism the hydrophobic interactions of hydrocarbon chains play an important role in the adsorption of surfactant molecules at high surface coverage. This would account for the very high negative mobilities obtained at surfactant concentration higher than 5×10^–7 M. Under high surface-coverage conditions, some electrophoretic mobility measurements were performed at different ionic strength. The appearance of a maximum in the mobility-ionic strength curves seems to depend upon alkyl-chain length. Also the effects of temperature and pH on mobilities of anionic surfactant-cationic latex particles have been studied. The mobility of the particles covered by alkyl-sulphonate surfactants varied with the pH in a similar manner as it does with negatively charged sulphated latex particles, which indicates that the surfactant now controls the surface charge and the hydrophobic-hydrophilic character of the surface.Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Safwan Al-Khouri IbrahimPresented at the Euchem Workshop on Adsorption of Surfactants and Macromolecules from Solution, Åbo (Turku), Finland, June 1989     

Rigid-rod polymers with flexible side chains

Modeling studies were performed for a rigid-rod polyester with hexadecyloxy side chains (n=16) in order to simulate x-ray scattering curves in the medium angle scattering region (s=4 sin / from 0.2 Å^–1 to 2.2 Å^=t–1). The experimental ones were taken from a material obtained by cooling to room temeperature from the smectic mesophase at 150°C. The wide-angle x-ray diffractograms were calculated for given conformations and molecular arrangements using Debye's equation. The theoretical result thus obtained for a great variety of possible packing models and structures was compared to the experimental result. The size of the effective scattering region is found to be 61×18×52=6×10⁴ ų and consists of approximately five layers, each of which is composed of two rigid rods and 20 side chains. The planes form by the rigid rods, together with the side chains, have a distance of 3.6 Å, the distance between the rods being 26 Å. As the main result, it was found that the side chains form regions with a denser ordering (clustering). The interchain distance for side chains decreases in the regions from 5.3 Å to 4.8 Å.