Distribution of emulsified monomers with different water solubility

The location and distribution of acrylic acid and styrene in emulsions made with a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), or an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), were determined with ultra-violet spectroscopy, conductivity, and potentiometry. In these systems, the acrylic acid remains in the aqueous phase near the micelle surface, whereas the styrene is located in the micelles or in emulsified droplets. In the absence of acrylic acid, some of the styrene is solubilized in the micelle interior and some is adsorbed at the micelle inner surface. Upon addition of acrylic acid, all the styrene is displaced to the center of the micelles. The interaction between acrylic acid and CTAB micelles is stronger than that between acrylic acid and SDS micelles. With CTAB, acrylic acid is adsorbed at the micelle surface, whereas with SDS, acrylic acid remains in the intermicellar solution. These differences can account for the differences reported in the emulsion copolymerization of acrylic acid and styrene using CTAB or SDS.