| Abstract: | The effect of different strategies for copolymer composition control on the molecular weight distribution (MWD) and gel fraction in the emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate was investigated. Starved and semistarved processes for copolymer composition control were both considered. For gel‐forming systems it was found that the starved process gave more gel and lower molecular weights than the semistarved process. The feasibility of simultaneous control of the copolymer composition and the MWD was assessed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1100–1109, 2000 |
