Emulsion polymerization of hydrophobia monomers

Emulsion polymerization is the most important industrial polymerization process for manufacturing water based polymers. The heterogeneous nature of the process requires the diffusion of monomers from the emulsified droplets, through the aqueous medium, into the polymer particles where the polymerization takes place. Adequate solubility of the monomer is necessary for the diffusion process to occur effectively. Consequently, very hydrophobic monomers cannot be readily incorporated by emulsion polymerization. The use of a catalytic level of cyclodextrin allows the use of very hydrophobic monomers in emulsion polymerization.^[1] The mechanism of the process is believed to involve a catalytic cycle in which cyclodextrin acts as a “Phase Transport Catalyst”, continuously complexing and solubilizing the hydrophobic monomers and releasing them to the polymer particles. The kinetics and thermodynamics are favorable for the reaction to proceed.