A polymer thin-film technique to study the micromorphology of core/shell latexes

A series of poly(styrene)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) core-shell latexes were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization. The dried latex was dissolved in toluene and then cast on the surface of water to form a very thin film (60–90 nm). Phase separation in the thin film was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron micrographs of these thin films yielded fine structure and interesting morphology that was unattainable by ultramicrotoming of the corresponding compression-molded specimens. Glass transition temperatures and percent grafted polystyrene were correlated with the TEM results. As grafting increases, mixing of the two phases improves, with the resulting T_g value being between the two T_g's of poly(styrene) and poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile).     

Dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate: Mechanism of particle formation

The mechanism for the formation of micron-size polymer particles in the dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate was investigated by applying dynamic light scattering to monitor the evolution of the average particle size in the early stages of the polymerization. In addition, the contributions of physically adsorbed stabilizer and graft copolymer were evaluated by measuring the bound, unbound (adsorbed), and free stabilizer, and by determining the amount of added stabilizer required in seeded dispersion polymerizations. Twenty nanometer particles (termed nuclei) were the smallest particles detected and are considered to be formed by aggregation of growing polymer chains precipitating from solution as they exceed their critical chain length. Aggregation of these nuclei with themselves and their aggregates continues until mature and stable particles are formed. This occurs when sufficient stabilizer occupies the particle surface which includes both the polymeric stabilizer [poly(vinylpyrrolidone)] and its graft copolymer which is created in situ. The effects of process variables are discussed based on this mechanistic picture of the dispersion polymerization process. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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.     

Microemulsion polymerization of styrene

Initiation of polymerization in styrene oil-in-water microemulsions by water-soluble potassium persulfate of oil-soluble 2,2′-azobis-(2-methyl butyronitrile) at 70°C gave stable latexes which were bluish and less translucent than the original microemulsions. The effects of initiator concentration, polymerization temperature, and monomer concentration on the kinetics, particle size distributions, and molecular weight distributions were investigated. The kinetics of polymerization were measured by dilatometry. In all cases, the polymerization rate shows only two intervals, which increased to a maximum and then decreased. There was no apparent constant rate period and no gel effect. A longer nucleation period was found for polymerizations initiated by potassium persulfate as compared to 2,2′-azobis-(2-methyl butyronitrile). The small latex particle size (20–30 nm) and high polymer molecular weight (1–2 × 10⁶) implies that each latex particle consists of two or three polystyrene molecules. The maximum polymerization rate and number of particles varied with the 0.47 and 0.40 powers of potassium persulfate concentration, and the 0.39 and 0.38 powers of 2,2′-azobis-(2-methyl butyronitrile) concentration, respectively. This is consistent with the 0.4 power predicted by Smith–Ewart Case 2 kinetics. Microemulsion polymerizations of styrene–toluene mixtures at the same oil-water phase ratio gave lower polymerization rates and lower molecular weights, but the same latex particle size as with styrene alone. A mechanism is proposed, which comprised initiation and polymerization in the microemulsion droplets, by comparing the kinetics of microemulsion polymerization with conventional emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization systems.     

Morphology and grafting reactions in core/shell latexes

The particle morphology and percent grafting were investigated as a function of the crosslink density of the seed latex in two systems of core/shell latexes of polybutadiene/polymethyl methacrylate (PB/PMMA) and styrene–butadiene rubber/polymethyl methacrylate (SBR/PMMA) prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization at 50°C. The thin layer chromatography/flame ionization detection (TLC/FID) technique was used to characterize the grafting efficiency of the core/shell latexes. The percent grafting of the shell polymer was found to decrease with increasing the crosslink density of the core material. The particle morphology and precent grafting were also investigated as a function of composition and structure of the core material in four core/shell latex systems: polybutadiene/styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (PB/SAN), (styrene-butadiene) random copolymer/styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (S:B/SAN), polystyrene : polybutadiene/styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (PS:PB/SAN) and Kraton/styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (Kraton/SAN), which were prepared by direct emulsification for the seed followed by emulsion polymerization at 70°C for the shell polymer. Grafting and crosslinking of the core material were found to be competitive reactions depending on the microstructure of the seed latex.     

Kinetics of successive seeding of monodisperse polystyrene latexes. II. Azo initiators with and without inhibitors

Oil soluble azo initiators in combination with water soluble inhibitors were used to extend the particle size limit in studies of the kinetics of successive seeding of monodisperse polystyrene latexes. Monodisperse latexes were prepared up to 2.5 μm in diam using 4.0 mM AMBN and 14.5 mM hydroquinone with a constant 15% emulsifier (Aerosol–MA) surface coverage throughout the seven step sequence. The polymerization kinetics were measured in a piston/cylinder dilatometer designed for microgravity experiments. The Interval III kinetics were dominated by the gel effect although these were affected by the nature of the inhibitor. In general, the overall polymerization rate decreased with increasing particle size (decreasing N_p) up to a size of about 1 μm. Thereafter, the kinetics were independent of these variables, exhibiting Smith-Ewart Case 3 (bulk) kinetics. The initiator efficiencies were found to be of the order of 10%, considerably lower than reported for bulk polymerizations.     

Batch and semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetat–butyl acrylate. I. Bulk,surface, and colloidal properties of copolymer latexes

Vinyl acetate (VAc)–butyl acrylate (BuA) comonomer mixtures with various composition were polymerized by batch and semicontinuous emulsion polymerization processes. PVAc and PBuA homopolymer latexes as well as the (VAc-BuA) copolymer latexes were characterized with respect to particle size, molecular weight, acid end groups on particle surfaces, and colloidal stability against electrolytes. The surface and colloidal properties of these latexes were also compared before and after aging and acid hydrolysis. The average particle size of batch latexes was independent of copolymer composition, whereas for semicontinuous latexes it decreased with increasing BuA content and was always lower than that of the corresponding batch latex. The molecular weight distribution (MWD) for batch latexes was narrower and much less dependent on composition than that of the semicontinuous latexes; bimodal MWD was found in most semicontinuous latexes with a substantial amount of low MW fraction. The total weak and strong acid end groups on particle surfaces for semicontinuous latexes is higher, and more dependent on composition, than the batch latexes. Acid-induced hydrolysis results in a drastic change in the type and concentration of the surface groups of the semicontinuous latex particles. Colloidal stability against electrolytes showed that both electrostatic (due to surface acid groups) and steric [due to surface poly(vinyl alcohol)] mechanisms are contributing. However, for semicontinuous latexes, increasing PVAc content above 50 mol % resulted in a proportional increase and ultimately dominant role of steric stabilization. The results were interpreted in terms of differences in reactivity ratios and water solubilities of the two monomers and their effects on the locus of initiation and growth in the two polymerization processes, as well as the monomer sequence within the polymer chain and degree of homogeniety of the copolymer composition within the particle.     

Particle nucleation and monomer partitioning in styrene O/W microemulsion polymerization

Particle nucleation in the polymerization of styrene microemulsions was found to take place throughout the polymerization as indicated by measurements of the particle number as a function of conversion. A mechanism based on the nucleation in the microemulsion droplets was proposed to explain the experimental findings although homogeneous nucleation and coagulation during polymerization were not completely ruled out. A thermodynamic model was developed to simulate the partitioning of monomer in the different phases during polymerization. The model predicts that the oil cores of the microemulsion droplets were depleted early in the polymerization (4% conversion). Due to the high monomer/polymer swelling ratio of the polymer particles, most of the monomer resides in the polymer particles during polymerization. The termination of chain growth inside the polymer particles was attributed to the chain transfer reaction to monomer. The low n? (less than 0.5) of the microemulsion system was attributed to the fast exit of monomeric radicals.     

Ultracentrifugation Method to Measure Water-Soluble Monomer Incorporation in Latex

Emulsion copolymerizations involving water-soluble functional monomers such as N-methylolacrylamide often result in the formation of water-soluble polymer that remains in the aqueous phase of the latex. A simple procedure is developed to determine the amount of water-soluble polymer in the aqueous phase of a high-solids latex using ultracentrifugation. Dilution of the latex with water is usually found necessary for good separation during ultracentrifugation. If the latex contains a surface-active species (surfactant) in amounts comparable to the amount of water-soluble polymer, calculation of the amount of water-soluble polymer in the serum of the original latex will require information about dilution dependent partitioning of the surfactant between the surface of the particles and the aqueous phase. This paper outlines a procedure that enables determination of the amount of water-soluble polymer in the aqueous phase of the original latex, by ultracentrifugation of the latex diluted to different concentrations. The procedure also gives the Henrys constant for the adsorption of the surfactant on the surface of the polymer particles in the latex.