Miniemulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate. II. Mathematical model for the monomer transport

A mathematical model is presented to describe the monomer transport between monomer droplets, aqueous phase, and polymer particles during the course of an emulsion polymerization. The model was used to investigate the role of the cosurfactant (hexadecane) in the miniemulsion copolymerization of 50:50 molar ratio vinyl acetate-butyl acrylate monomer mixture, as well as the effect of the different components and process variables on the rate of copolymerization, monomer distribution between phases, and composition of the copolymer.     

Miniemulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate. III. Experimental evidence for the role of the cosurfactant

The role of the cosurfactant (hexadecane) in the miniemulsion copolymerization of 50 : 50 molar ratio vinyl acetate–butyl acrylate monomer mixture is analyzed from an experimental point of view. The main factor responsible for the different kinetic behavior between the miniemulsion and conventional emulsion copolymerization processes was found to be the different particle nucleation mechanism operating in each process. Experimental evidence is presented indicating that in the miniemulsion copolymerization particle nucleation takes place in the preformed stable submicron monomer droplets.     

Miniemulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate. IV. Kinetics of the copolymerization

The copolymerization kinetics of conventional emulsions and miniemulsions of 50:50 and 25:75 molar ratios vinyl acetate–butyl acrylate monomer mixtures were studied using sodium hexadecyl sulfate as surfactant. Hexadecane was the cosurfactant used in the preparation of the miniemulsions, and ammonium persulfate was the initiator used in the polymerizations. The rate of polymerization showed four regions which extended to different conversions depending on the type of emulsion used (conventional or miniemulsion). The rate of polymerization for the miniemulsion process was always slower than for the conventional process. The dependence of the rate on the initiator concentration was higher for the miniemulsion process. The number of particles nucleated in the miniemulsion copolymerization process was lower than in the conventional emulsion copolymerization process. The initiator and surfactant concentration dependence of the number of particles were 0.8 and 0.25 for the miniemulsion copolymerization process and 0.0 and 0.68 for the conventional emulsion copolymerization process respectively. These effects were attributed to the different particle nucleation mechanism operating in each process.     

Miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene–methyl methacrylate

Miniemulsion copolymerization of 50 : 50 weight fraction of styrene–methyl methacrylate monomer, using hexadecane as the cosurfactant, was carried out in both unseeded and seeded polymerizations. Effects of the hexadecane concentration and the ultrasonification time on the conversion–time curves and particle size of the final latex were investigated for unseeded polymerization. The kinetic and particle size distribution results showed that an increase in hexadecane concentration and ultrasonification time cause faster polymerization rate and smaller particle size. The mechanism of mass transport from miniemulsion droplets to polymer particles was also investigated for seeded polymerization. For this purpose a monomer miniemulsion was mixed with a fraction of a previously prepared miniemulsion latex particles prior to initiation of polymerization, using residual oil-soluble initiator in the seed latex. The concentration of hexadecane and a water-insoluble inhibitor (2,5 di-tert-butyl hydroquinone) in the miniemulsions were the main variables. Seeded polymerizations were also carried out in the presence of miniemulsion droplets containing a water-insoluble inhibitor and water-soluble initiator. The inhibitor concentration and the agitation speed during the course of polymerization were the experimental variables. The kinetic and particle size results from these seeded experiments suggested that collision between miniemulsion droplets and polymer particles may play a major role in the transport of highly water-insoluble compounds.     

氧化-还原低温引发苯乙烯/丙烯酸丁酯细乳液共聚合动力学与成核机理的研究

详细讨论了 [(NH4 ) 2 S2 O8/NaHSO3 ]氧化 还原引发体系引发苯乙烯 (St)丙烯酸丁酯 (BuA)体系的细乳液共聚合的动力学特征及其与成核机理的关系 .细乳液的聚合速率比相同条件下的常规乳液聚合速率低 ,引发期长 .随聚合温度、引发剂浓度、乳化剂浓度的增加 ,聚合速率增大 .共乳化剂正十六烷 (HDE)的浓度在一定范围内增大 ,反应的速率增大 ,然后再增加HDE ,反应速率下降 .建立动力学曲线数学模型 ,并深入讨论了细乳液的聚合动力学特征 ,与常规乳液所得结果相比较 ,探讨了细乳液的单体液滴成核机理 .     

Miniemulsion polymerization of styrene with chain transfer agent as cosurfactant

Miniemulsion polymerization of styrene with the chain transfer agent n-dodecyl mercaptan (DDM) used as cosurfactant was studied. Droplet size and shelf life for unpolymerized miniemulsions were measured and compared with those of equivalent macroemulsions. The miniemulsion monomer droplets with dodecyl mercaptan as cosurfactant were very stable. Shelf lives were from 17 h to 3 months. The kinetics of miniemulsion polymerization were studied. Unlike other miniemulsion systems where the cosurfactant does not act as a chain transfer agent, the polymerization rate falls with cosurfactant level because the chain transfer agent enhances radical desorption from the particles. The polymerization rate in all the miniemulsions was lower than that of the corresponding macroemulsions. Polymerized particles were larger than in the corresponding macroemulsions, but molecular weights were lower. Results indicate that DDM can serve as an effective cosurfactant as well as a chain transfer agent. The fact that the molecular weights are lower in the miniemulsion reactions indicates predominant droplet nucleation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Emulsion and controlled miniemulsion polymerization of the renewable monomer γ‐methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone

The kinetics of free‐radical emulsion polymerization of γ‐methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone (MeMBL), a renewable monomer related to methyl methacrylate, are presented in detail for the first time, and stable polymer latices are prepared. The effects of different reaction parameters on free‐radical emulsion polymerization of MeMBL are presented. Homogeneous nucleation is asserted to be the dominant path for particle formation. Miniemulsion copolymerization of MeMBL and styrene is also reported. In this case, the homogeneous nucleation process appears limited when using an oil soluble initiator. Both the RAFT miniemulsion polymerizations and RAFT bulk polymerizations are well controlled and narrow polydispersity copolymers are produced. Rate retardation is observed in the RAFT miniemulsion polymerizations compared with the free‐radical polymerization and RAFT bulk polymerizations and the possible causes of the retardation are discussed. The reactivity ratios of MeMBL and styrene in RAFT bulk copolymerization are also determined. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5929–5944, 2008     

氧化-还原低温引发苯乙烯/丙烯酸丁酯细乳液聚合粒度分布和成核机理的研究

用氧化还原引发剂(NH₄)₂S₂O₈/NaHSO₃研究了苯乙烯(St)/丙烯酸丁酯(BA)低温下的细乳液共聚合,细乳液单体液滴在亚微米级(100～400nm).测定了聚合过程中粒子大小及分布的变化,发现细乳液聚合随引发剂、乳化剂和共乳化剂浓度的增加,乳胶粒子尺寸变小,分布变宽,并且比相同条件下传统乳液聚合的粒子大.计算了聚合过程中粒子数变化规律及乳化剂覆盖率,讨论了细乳液与传统乳液中引发剂、乳化剂对反应过程的影响及成核机理的差异.     

甲基丙烯酸3-三甲氧基硅丙酯/苯乙烯细乳液共聚合过程中的水解及缩合反应

研究了甲基丙烯酸3-三甲氧基硅丙酯(MPS)和苯乙烯(St)细乳液聚合过程中的水解及缩合反应.用气相色谱仪测定聚合过程中水解产物——甲醇的含量来研究MPS的水解度.MPS分子主要在细乳液液滴与水的界面以及乳胶粒与水的界面上发生水解反应.MPS和St比例、介质pH值、乳化剂用量、引发剂类型和用量都会影响MPS的水解程度.缩合产物用29Si固态核磁共振表征,中性条件下,缩合反应受到抑制,在高MPS/St比例的体系中也只生成少量缩合产物.酸性和碱性条件下,缩合产物量均增加,但碱性条件下,体系中仍有一定数量未缩合的硅氧烷存在,这与细乳液聚合独特的液滴成核机理及聚合过程中较少液滴间物质交换有关.     

Mathematical modeling of seeded miniemulsion copolymerization for oil-soluble initiator

A mathematical model of seeded miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene-methyl methacrylate for oil-soluble initiator is presented. The mathematical model includes the mass transfer, from the miniemulsion droplets to the polymer particles, by both molecular diffusion and collision between miniemulsion droplets and the polymer particles. The mathematical model also includes the calculation of both the distribution of partices with i radicals and the average number of radicals per particle in the miniemulsion copolymerization using oil-soluble initator. Studies were carried out on the mass transfer coefficients of monomers across the interface between the miniemulsion droplet and the aqueous phase, hexadecane concentration in the miniemulsion droplets, the miniemulsion droplet sizes, and the collision between miniemulsion droplets. The results indicated that the copolymerization of styrene-methyl methacrylate was not a mass transfer controlled process. The mass transfer by collision between miniemulsion droplets and polymer particles plays an important role and was included in the model in order to predict the experimental data of seeded miniemulsion copolymerization.     

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.     

氟代丙烯酸酯三元共聚物细乳液的合成与表征

在低乳化剂用量和不加助乳化剂的条件下,采用细乳液聚合方法,合成了平均粒径在110～150nm的氟代丙烯酸酯(FA)、甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)及甲基丙烯酸丁酯(BMA)三元共聚物乳液.利用GPC,FTIR及¹HNMR谱表征了共聚物分子量和结构组成,采用激光光散射法研究了聚合过程中粒径变化规律,通过接触角方法对共聚物表面性能进行了表征.结果表明,油溶性引发剂AIBN引发FA-MMA-BMA三元细乳液共聚合的主要成核场所为单体液滴.即每个单体液滴都是一个独立的微型反应器,可避免因为单体水溶性的差异而使共聚组成产生漂移.细乳液聚合合成含氟共聚物乳液的分子量分布窄(1.3～1.5),乳液稳定性能好,共聚物在低含氟量下即表现出优异的疏水疏油性能.     

聚合过程中原位生成助稳定剂的细乳液聚合

以甲基丙烯酸十二氟庚酯(DFMA)、甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)、丙烯酸丁酯(BA)为共聚单体,不加任何传统的助稳定剂进行细乳液聚合.在共聚体系中,由于DFMA在初期反应生成的聚合物中占有较高比例,初期形成的少量低聚物可以起到助稳定剂作用,因此DFMA作为反应单体的同时,又可以原位生成助稳定剂,维持单体液滴或乳胶粒子的稳定,以细乳液聚合的方式进行聚合.分别采用油溶性引发剂(AIBN)和水溶性引发剂(KPS)引发聚合,考察细乳液聚合过程中乳胶粒子粒径的变化规律,粒径由初始时刻的400nm左右减少到80nm左右,最终与使用传统的助稳定剂得到的粒径相当.提出了原位生成助稳定剂的细乳液聚合机理,并使用交联剂验证了提出的原位生成助稳定剂的细乳液聚合机理.     

Miniemulsion polymerization of styrene using the oil-soluble initiator AMBN

The Mettler RC1 calorimeter was used to measure the rate of polymerization of conventional emulsion, homogenized emulsion, and miniemulsion polymerizations of styrene initiated with 2,2′-azobis(2-methylbutyronitrile). It was noted that the rate of polymerization significantly increased as the surface area of the monomer droplets increased. This was taken as strong evidence that in the miniemulsion and homogenized emulsion polymerizations, the fraction of the initiator soluble in the oil phase was responsible for single radical generation. The partitioning of AMBN at 70 °C was measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography to be 134 parts in the oil : 1 part in the water. Predissolving polystyrene in the miniemulsion prior to homogenization resulted in an enhancement in the rate of polymerization, although to a lesser extent than what has been previously noted for parallel miniemulsion polymerizations initiated with potassium persulfate. It was also noted that the method of addition of the oil-soluble initiator (either predissolved in the monomer prior to homogenization or dissolved in a small separate phase of monomer and added directly to the reactor) has a measurable effect on the kinetics in the miniemulsion polymerization of styrene. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4449–4457, 1999     

八甲基环四硅氧烷正离子细乳液开环聚合动力学

以十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDBS)为乳化剂,硫酸或盐酸为催化剂,八甲基环四硅氧烷(D4)为单体,十六烷为共稳定剂,超声预乳化,制备了聚硅氧烷细乳液,研究了超声时间、催化剂用量、乳化剂用量和温度对聚合动力学的影响.结果表明,在一定酸度范围内,聚合速度与硫酸浓度0.81次方、与盐酸浓度1.02次方、与乳化剂浓度-0.66次方成正比,反应的表观活化能为40.56kJ/mol.     

The preparation of sterically stabilized polymer dispersions

The emulsion polymerizations of styrene (St) and butyl acrylate (BA) stabilized by nonionic polyoxyethylene type emulsifiers did not show the long stationary rate interval. This was discussed in terms of two opposing effects: 1) the decreased monomer concentration at the reaction loci due to the depletion of monomer droplets or depressed monomer droplet degradation and 2) the increased number of polymer particles with increasing conversion. The continuous particle nucleation is attributed to the continuous release of emulsifier from the emulsifier saturated monomer droplets and/or the presence of monomer swollen micelles (microdroplets). The limited particle flocculation operative at lower emulsifier concentrations increases the nonstationary-state polymerization. The particle agglomeration is accompanied by the increased reaction order x (N_p vs. [E]^x) above 0.6. The increased uniformity of monomer emulsion stabilized by Tween 20 by homogenization of monomer emulsion increased the final conversion and the polymerization rate as well. The polymerization rate vs. conversion curve of the homogenized emulsion characterized with broader stationary rate interval reminds the four rate intervals system typical for miniemulsion. The accumulation of polymer and nonionic emulsifier within the monomer phase preserves the monomer droplets up to high conversion. The decreased monomer droplet degradation rises the monomer-starved condition or the depressed transport of both monomer and emulsifier to the reaction loci.     

Effect of monomer hydrophilicity on ARGET–ATRP kinetics in aqueous mini-emulsion polymerization

Activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)-based aqueous miniemulsion polymerization where the polymerization takes place in the stabilized monomer droplets is described. In this work, we compared styrene, n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA) and tert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) and investigated the influence of their hydrophobicity on dispersity, molecular weight and particle stability based their partition coefficients (logP) (2.67, 2.23, and 1.86, respectively). Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) was used as a phase transfer agent for the controlled delivery of Cu²⁺-Br/tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA), a hydrophilic catalyst, into monomer droplets of varying hydrophobicity. The resulting dispersity and particle stability of each polymer is a function of its logP value, with the most hydrophobic monomer (styrene) displaying the narrowest dispersity and most control (Đ < 1.3), and the most hydrophilic polymer poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PtBMA) having reduced emulsion stability, determined by the observation of aggregate formation. Selected polymerization parameters, including effects of total ascorbic acid feed concentration and the monomer concentration and their effects on dispersity are reported. The controlled polymerizations of hydrophilic monomers using ARGET-ATRP in miniemulsion conditions and understanding the effect of monomer hydrophilicity on the emulsion stability will broaden the use of ARGET-ATRP in emulsion polymerization for the synthesis of polymer-grafted nanoparticles with hydrophilic corona.     

Miniemulsion polymerization: An approach to control copolymer composition

The copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) and vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate (V2EH) via miniemulsion polymerization is being investigated with the goal of better copolymer composition control. The reaction kinetics and final particle sizes were compared for homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of the two monomers. Enhanced polymerization rates were seen for the miniemulsion polymerizations over their conventional counterparts despite a decreased number of particles. This was attributed to the influence of the reactive surfactant sodium dodecyl allyl sulfosuccinate and low water solubility of the V2EH monomer. Increased nucleation of miniemulsion droplets was sought by incorporation of small amounts of polymer into the droplets. This was first shown to be effective for styrene miniemulsion polymerizations and was subsequently successfully extended to the VAc/V2EH system     

Evidence for the preservation of the particle identity in miniemulsion polymerization

A combination of small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS), conductivity, and surface tension measurements is used to show that the primary droplets in miniemulsion polymerization have the same size and the same size distribution as the final particles. It is also shown that hexadecane employed as a cosurfactant is homogeneously dispersed in the droplets and does not possess any interface activity. The presented data support that a 1 : 1 copy from monomer droplets to polymer particles is achieved.     

Miniemulsion polymerization of styrene using alkyl methacrylates as the reactive cosurfactant

 Stable styrene miniemulsions were prepared by using alkyl methacrylates as the reactive cosurfactant. Like conventional cosurfactants (e.g., cetyl alcohol (CA) and hexadecane (HD)), alkyl methacrylates (e.g., dodecyl methacrylate (DMA) and stearyl methacrylate (SMA)) may act as a cosurfactant in stabilizing the homogenized miniemulsions. Furthermore, the methacrylate group may be chemically incorporated into latex particles in subsequent miniemulsion polymerization. The data of the monomer droplet size, creaming rate and phase separation of monomer as a function of time were used to evaluate the shelf-life of miniemulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate in combination with various cosurfactants. Polystyrene latex particles were produced via both monomer droplet nucleation and homogeneous nucleation in the miniemulsion polymerization using CA or DMA as the cosurfactant, with the result of a quite broad particle size distribution. On the other hand, the miniemulsion polymerization with HD or SMA showed a predominant monomer droplet nucleation. The resultant particle size distribution was relatively narrow. In miniemulsion polymerization, the less hydrophobic DMA is similar to CA, whereas the more hydrophobic SMA is similar to HD. Received: 19 November 1996 Accepted: 20 February 1997