ISSN:
0025-116X
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
To improve the knowledge of emulsion copolymerization of monomers both swelling their copolymers, but which are of quite different polarity (water solubility), a series of styrene (S)/methyl acrylate (MeA) copolymerizations was carried out in batch at 50°C with potassium persulfate as initiator. The overall rates of copolymerization increase with the amount of MeA in the monomer feed. Copolymer composition follows the usual copolymerization equation if bulk/solution reactivity ratios (rij) and monomer partition between aqueous and organic phase are taken into account (simulation). However, accurate kinetic data at low conversion (gas chromatography) put in evidence an enhanced polymerization of the more hydrophilic monomer (MeA), which can be attributed to polymerization in the water phase. Particle sizes increase with conversion and tend to a limiting value, the higher the MeA content is. Particle number (Np), which is practically constant with conversion of S homopolymerization, tends to increase with MeA content as polymerization proceeds. This trend is enhanced if the emulsifier (sodium dodecanesulfonate, SDS) concentration is increased. Overall propagation rate constants were estimated as function of the experimental conditions and monomer concentration within the particles. From kinetic data (rate of polymerization) and Np, it was found that the average number of radicals per particle, ñ, remains close to 0,5. It was then possible considering S(kp = 125 1 · mol-1 · s-1) as a standard monomer, to estimate the polymerization rate constant for MeA (335 1 · mol-1 · s-1). Since adsorption of emulsifier was shown to be closely related to particle surface composition, the specific area As of SDS was measured on latices at various conversions and initial monomer feeds. As conversions increases, the particle surface appears to be richer and richer in MeA, which corresponds to a particle structuration. Strong and weak acid group titration is also in quite good agreement with the colloidal behaviour.
Additional Material:
11 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/macp.1988.021890211
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