Preparation of sulphonate-containing core/shell latex particles via seeded emulsion copolymerization

In this study, P（St-MAA） seed latex particles were first prepared via soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene （St） and methacrylic acid （MAA）, then the seed particles were allowed to swell with St at room temperature, and the P（St-MAA）/P（St- NaSS） core/shell latex particles were then synthesized via seeded emulsion copolymerization of St and sodium styrene sulphonate （NaSS） using AIBN as initiator in the presence of N,N^-methylenebisacrylamide （BAA, water-soluble crosslinker）. Results showed that the polymerization could be carried out smoothly when the ratio of BAA to total monomers was less than 3 mol%, the narrow dispersed P（St-MAA） seed particles with the diameter of 150 nm and the P（St-MAA）/P（St-NaSS） core/shell latexes with the particle size of about 200 nm were synthesized. When the 25/75 mole ratio of NaSS/（St ＋ MAA） and 2 tool% of BAA were used in the seeded emulsion polymerization, the resulted P（St-MAA）/P（St-NaSS） latex product showed a low weight loss after water extraction, and the NaSS unit content in the whole particle and in the shell reached 11.7 mol% and 34.6 mol%, resoectivelv.

Synthesis and Characterization of Fluorine-containing Polyacrylate Emulsion with Core-Shell Structure

A fluorine-containing polyacrylate copolymer emulsion was synthesized by a seed emulsion polymerization method, in which methyl methacrylate （MMA） and butyl acrylate （BA） were used as main monomers and hexafluorobutyl methacrylate （HFMA） as fluorine-containing monomer. The structure and properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrum （FT-IR）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, particle size analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, contact angle （CA）, differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and thermogravimetry （TG） analysis. The FTIR and TEM results showed that HFMA was effectively involved in the emulsion copolymerization, and the formed emulsion particles had a core-shell structure and a narrow particle size distribution. XPS and CA analysis revealed that a gradient concentration of fluorine existed in the depth profile of fluorine-containing emulsion film which was richer in fluorine and more hydrophobic in one side. DSC and TG analysis also showed that a clear core-shell structure existed in the fluorine-containing emulsion particles, and their film showed higher thermal stability than that of fluorine-free emulsion.

SYNTHESIS OF BOWL-LIKE PARTICLES BY EMULSION POLYMERIZATION AND RELEASE BEHAVIOR OF SOLVENT FROM THE PARTICLES

Poly(styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) particles having bowl-shaped hollow structures were synthesized by swollen seed emulsion polymerization. The PS emulsion synthesized through soap-free emulsion polymerization was swollen by toluene, and then the mixture of second monomers was added under polymerization condition. So a thin shell of poly(styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) cross-linked by triethylene glycol diacrylate was formed around the swollen PS particle. The bowl-shaped particles were obtained after the collapsing of the thin shell when the toluene emanated from the particles, but the shapes were effected by the degrees of cross-linking. The shape of the particles was observed by SEM. The release behavior of solvent from the particles was examined by TG.

Synthesis of Bowl-like Particles by Emulsion Polymerization and Release Behavior of Solvent from the Particles

Bowl-like poly (styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) was synthesized by swollen seeded emulsion polymerization. The polymerization was carried out in PS seed emulsion swollen by toluene, whereby the bowl-like particles formed at last. The shape was observed by SEM. These particles became ball-like when swollen by toluene, observed by optical microscope, and the release behavior of solvent from them was examined.

Synthesis of submicron-sized peanut-shaped poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene particles by seeded soap-free emulsion polymerization

Submicron-sized peanut-shaped poly（methyl methacrylate）/polystyrene （PMMA/PS） particles were successfully synthesized by seeded soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene on the spherical crosslinked PMMA seed particles. The obtained peanut- shaped particles showed a novel internal morphology： PS phase formed one domain which linked to the other domain having PMMA core encased by PS shell.

PREPARATION OF MICRON-SIZED NONSPHERICAL POLYSTYRENE/POLY(STYRENE-co-ETHYLENEGLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE) PARTICLES BY SEEDED SOAP-FREE EMULSION POLYMERIZATION

Micron-sized nonspherical polymer particles having different morphologies were synthesized by seeded soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene （St） and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate （EGDMA, used as a crosslinker） on spherical, linear polystyrene （PS） seed particles. The morphology of the resulting PS/poly（St-co-EGDMA） particles was dependent on the crosslinker concentration and polymerization temperature.

A New Kind of Void Soap-free P(MMA-EA-MAA) Latex Particles

Soap-free P(MMA-EA-MAA) particles with narrow size distribution were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl acrylate (EA) and methacrylic acid (MAA), and large voids inside the particles were generated by alkali posttreatment in the presence of 2-butanone. Results indicated that the size of void and the particle volume were related with the amount of 2-butanone. The generation mechanism of voids was proposed.

PREPARATION OF HOLLOW LATEX PARTICLES BY ALKALI-ACID TREATMENT

Hollow polymer latex particles were prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization. A seed latex consisting of styrene (St), butyl acrylate(BA) copolymer was first prepared, and seeded terpolymerization of St BA MA(methacrylic acid) were then carried out in the absence of surfactant. Final latex was treated by a two step treatment under alkaline and acidic conditions, thus, the particles with hollow structure were obtained. We discussed the effects of pH value, temperature and time in alkali and acid treatment processes on hollow structure within the polymer latex particles and amount of carboxylic group on particle surface. The results show that the hollow polymer latex particles with the largest hollow size can be obtained under a certain condition (pH12.5, 90°C, 3 h in alkali treatment stage and pH2.5, 85°C, 3 h in acid treatment stage).

Poly(2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate)/polystyrene latex interpenetrating polymer networks with well-defined phase-separated structure

A series of poly（2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate）/polystyrene（PAEMA/PS） latex interpenetrating polymer networks（LIPNs） were prepared by seeded soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene on the crosslinked PAEMA seed particles using an oil-soluble initiator.These PAEMA/PS LIPNs showed a well-defined phase-separated structure with PS phase dispersing in continuous PAEMA phase.The domain size of PS phase was found to depend on the crosslinking degree of PAEMA seed particles and the amount of second-stage styrene monomer.

A Novel Approach to Prepare Core/Shell Polymer Latex Particles with High Sulphonate Contents

Crosslinked x-P（St-MAA） seed latex was first prepared via soap-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene （St） and methyl methacrylic acid （MAA） with divinyl benzene as crosslinker and ammonium persulfate as initiator, and x-P（St-MAA）/x-P（St-NaSS） core/shell latex particles were then synthesized through a novel seeded emulsion copolymerization of St and sodium styrene sulphonate （NaSS） in the presence of water-soluble crosslinker N,N＇-methylene bisacrylamide （BAA） using oil-soluble 2,2-azobis isobutyronitrile as initiator. TEM observation indicated that narrow dispersed core/shell latex particles were obtained, and element analysis showed that NaSS unit content in the whole particle and in the shell reached 22.8 wt% and 51.2 wt%, respectively.