Mechanistic studies on particle nucleation in the batch emulsion polymerisation of n-butyl acrylate containing multifunctional monomers

This paper reports the mechanistic details concerning the synthesis of crosslinked poly(n-butyl acrylate) dispersions intended to be used as seeds in the preparation of core-shell emulsions. The influence of crosslinking comonomers and the amount and type of surfactants on the kinetics, particle nucleation, particle size and particle size distribution in the batch emulsion polymerisation of n-butyl acrylate (BA) is explored. In the case of EGDA (ethylene glycol diacrylate) crosslinker the particle number decreased with increasing crosslink density, whereas the opposite trend was observed in the case of m-diisopropenylbenzene (m-DIPB) in the presence and absence of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The observed behaviour is mainly attributed to the variation in the aqueous phase kinetics caused by the water solubility of the comonomer, which influences the formation rate of precursor particles during the nucleation stage. Only for the less water soluble crosslinker, DIPB, could the increase of particle number be explained within the Smith–Ewart theory by assuming prolonged nucleation due to reduced swelling of growing particles with monomer as a result of the crosslinking reaction.Abbreviations EGDA ethylene glycol diacrylate - m-DIPB meta-diisopropenylbenzene - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - PBA poly(n-butyl acrylate) - AFFF asymmetric field flow fractionation - MALLS multiangle laser light scattering - CMC critical micelle concentration