Synthesis of Latex Particles with Surface Functional Groups and Their Applications for the Fabrication of Porous Materials

In this study, monodisperse latex particles with specific surface functional groups were synthesized by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. Amidine or carboxylated polystyrene nanospheres with narrow size distribution were prepared by emulsion polymerization using AIBA (α,α′-zodiisobutyramidine dihydrochloride) as amine-containing initiator or acrylic acid as carboxyl-containing comonomer, respectively. Factors affecting the particle size and distribution were systemically studied by changing the amount of initiator or monomer, the polymerization temperature, and the stirring speed of emulsion polymerization reactor. Monodisperse polymethylmethacrylate beads were also synthesized by soapless emulsion polymerization using methacrylic acid or aminoethylmethacrylate hydrogen hydrochloride as comonomer for the surface functionalization of the particles. As applications of the latex beads, the polymeric particles were adopted as templating materials for the fabrication of macroporous titania film and meso-macroporous silica particles by colloidal templating method.     

Emulsion Filtration Through Surface Modified Ceramic Membranes

In this work we studied the influence of membrane hydrophobicity on the filtration of oil/water (O/W) emulsions with a dispersed phase content of 30% (V/V). The membrane filtration process was realized by using ceramic tubular hydrophilic or hydrophobic membranes with different mean pore size (0.2 pm, 1.2 pm, and 1.4 pm of mean pore radius). Hydrophobic character was obtained by modifying superficially the membrane surface with a very thin polymer layer. The results obtained showed that the emulsion viscosity and droplet size distribution depend on the shearing forces and transmembrane pressure. The operating conditions and the nature of the membrane surface/emulsion interaction are the main parameters which control the type and nature of emulsion changes, such as modification of the mean droplet size, concentration into oleic phase or breaking.     

Continuous Spectroscopy Characterization of Emulsions

In emulsion polymerization, the formation of particles has an important effect on the rate of reaction and on the final properties of the latex. To investigate particle nucleation mechanisms in emulsion polymerization it is necessary to establish the initial conditions of the emulsified system before the reaction takes place. This research reports on a technique to continuously monitor the droplet size distribution of liquid-liquid emulsions using spectroscopy. The on-line particle characterization methodology is based on an integrated sampling and dilution strategy combined with spectroscopy methods. It is shown that the sampling system integrated with a multiwavelength turbidity detector provides reliable estimates of droplet populations as function of the dispersed phase concentration in emulsions of saturated hydrocarbons. The results provide not only the groundwork necessary for the elucidation of particle nucleation during emulsion polymerization process but also suggests the potential of this combined technology to further our understanding of liquid-liquid emulsions.     

Laminar Flow Emulsification Process to Control the Viscosity Reduction of Heavy Crude Oils

The formation of heavy crude oil in water (O/W) emulsion by a low energy laminar controlled flow has been investigated. The emulsion was prepared in an eccentric cylinder mixer. Its geometry allows the existence of chaotic flows that are able to mix well highly viscous fluids. This new mixer design is used to produce high internal phase ratio emulsions for three oils: castor oil and two heavy crude oils of different initial viscosity (Zuata and Athabasca crude oils). The influence of the stirring conditions, geometrical parameters, and water volume fraction on the rheological properties of the resulting O/W emulsion is studied.     

Esterification of Octanoic Acid with Octanol in Microemulsion and Emulsion System

The esterification of octanoic acid with octanol in microemulsion and emulsion system is studied. In the presence of 5–10% dodecylbenzene-sulfonic acid (DBSA), which is a surfactant-type catalyst, high conversion of esterification can be given both in microemulsion and in emulsion system. Compared with emulsion system, single-phase microemulsion is a more effective reaction system for esterification, with the advantages of comparatively little influence by the amount of water, no need of hard stirring, and stable state when laid long. The esterification of other fatty acids and alcohols in this reaction system were also accomplished in favorable conversion.     

Lipid Peroxidation Processes Photoinduced by Titanium Dioxide in Emulsion Systems,Representative of Sunscreen Formulations

This article studies the peroxidation of linoleic acid and of porcine skin lipids on ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, in the presence of various TiO₂ specimens used as inorganic sunscreen pigments in different emulsion systems. It was found that different TiO₂ specimens induce quite variable lipid peroxidation in the same emulsion system, which suggests that the different coatings widely differ in their effectiveness to lower the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂. However, it was also found that the extent of lipid peroxidation caused by the same TiO₂ pigment in different emulsions was even more variable than the effects of different pigments in the same system. This finding might imply that the choice of the formulation components different from TiO₂ could be of paramount importance as far as the potential skin damage induced by the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ is concerned.     

Synthesis of poly(vinylidene chloride)-based composite latexes by emulsion polymerization from epoxy functional seeds for improved thermal stability

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate)/poly(vinylidene chloride-co-methyl acrylate) (poly(GMA-co-BMA)/poly(VDC-co-MA)) composite latexes have been successfully synthesized via a two-stage emulsion polymerization process. In a first step, emulsion copolymerization of GMA and BMA was carried out in optimized conditions (low temperature, neutral pH, starved-feed conditions) to both limit the hydrolysis of epoxy groups and obtain small particle size (typically 30-50 nm size range). Composite latexes were then obtained by a second-stage seeded copolymerization of VDC and MA in the presence of tetrasodium pyrophosphate to control the pH and reach high molecular weight, leading to partial encapsulation of the seed particles (snow-man morphology, in agreement with theoretical expectations). Thermogravimetric analyses performed on the resulting composite particles showed that the epoxy-functionalized seed polymer behaved as an efficient thermal stabilizer of PVDC.     

Functionalised, photostable, fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles of narrow size-distribution

Fluorescent nanoparticles continue to be of wide interest, as they have many advantages over single fluorescent molecules for biological imaging and sensing applications, such as increased fluorescence intensity and reduced photobleaching. In the following work, styrene was copolymerised with a newly synthesised, fluorescein-based, vinylic crosslinking monomer, by emulsion polymerisation, to create a series of different sized fluorescent nanoparticles (35-100 nm), each of narrow size-distribution. The particles were found to be highly fluorescent and with lower photobleaching compared to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), offering an attractive alternative. The fluorescence excitation and emission spectra were recorded, being similar to fluorescein, but with interesting variation in the excitation spectra. The particles also have a wide range of potential uses, such as examining particle uptake activity of a macrophage cell line, also demonstrated. The nanoparticles were coated with albumin to provide functionality for potential conjugation to biological targeting agents.     

双甘氨肽分子印迹聚合物微球的吸附性能研究

以双甘氨肽(Gly-Gly)为印迹分子,丙烯酰胺(AM)、二甲基丙烯酸乙二醇酯(EDMA)分别作为功能单体和交联剂,在低温条件下采用乳液聚合于水相中制备了双甘氨肽分子印迹聚合物微球(Gly-Gly-MIPMs)。通过静态、动态平衡吸附和薄层色谱(TLC)分离实验,研究了Gly-Gly-MIPMs的选择吸附性能,并进行了Scatchard模型分析。结果表明,Gly-Gly-MIPMs对Gly-Gly分子具有较好的特异性吸附,最大单位饱和吸附量0.428mmol/g,印迹因子2.19。     

四氟乙烯/偏氟乙烯乳液共聚反应的竞聚率测定

用亨利定律关联了四氟乙烯 (TFE) /偏氟乙烯 (VDF)乳液共聚合体系中的单体气相分压与其对应液相浓度间的关系 ,推导了用气相摩尔分数表示的共聚物组成方程式 .通过气相色谱和19F NMR分别测定了共聚反应前后气相单体组成和共聚物组成 ,用非线性回归法 (RREVM )计算TFE/VDF乳液共聚合反应表观竞聚率分别为γTFE=0 35和γVDF=0 6 3 .将实测的表观竞聚率代入共聚物组成方程计算共聚物组成与由19F NMR测定的结果一致 ,为进一步的工业放大试验提供科学依据