Synthesis of monodisperse polymer suspensions with a narrow particle size distribution in the presence of water-insoluble triple block copolymers of polypropylene oxide and polyethylene oxide (pluronics)

The colloidal chemical properties of triple block copolymers of polypropylene oxide and polyethylene oxide (pluronics of various structures) were studied in comparison. All of them are shown to be surfactants but differ in interfacial tension, surface activity, surface area occupied in the adsorption layer, and adsorption layer thickness. The kinetic regularities of polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate were studied. The particle diameters and their size distribution were determined. Distinctions in the kinetic regularities of polymerization are shown: the shape of the conversion—time curves (for the duration of the initial and stationary stages of polymerization) and the dependences of the diameter on the surfactant concentration and monomer to water volume ratio. In the presence of the water-insoluble pluronics, the mechanism of formation of polymer—monomer particles and interfacial layer on the surface differs from that when using water-soluble surfactants, which makes it possible to distinguish these processes into an independent type of heterophase polymerization.