Polymerization of styrene in the presence of organosilicon surfactants of various natures

One‐step synthesis of polymer dispersions with large narrow‐size‐distribution particles via heterophase polymerization in the presence of surface‐active water‐insoluble organosilicon macromers

“…When one uses a traditional water‐soluble ionogenic surfactant such as sodium dodecylsulfonate, the polymer–monomer particles originate from the surfactant micelles and their resulting size does not exceed 100 nm 15,16 . Alternatively in the case of water‐insoluble surfactants, the polymer–monomer particles originate directly from the monomer microdroplets which are well stabilized with thick adsorption layers of the surfactant pushed to the interphase from the volume of the monomer droplets due to incompatibility of the surfactants with the rising polymer 17–19 . An additional factor for stabilization of the adsorption layers on the monomer droplet surfaces is precipitation of the rising polymer on the particle interphase (water is a precipitant for the polymer).…”

“…15,16 Alternatively in the case of water-insoluble surfactants, the polymer-monomer particles originate directly from the monomer microdroplets which are well stabilized with thick adsorption layers of the surfactant pushed to the interphase from the volume of the monomer droplets due to incompatibility of the surfactants with the rising polymer. [17][18][19] An additional factor for stabilization of the adsorption layers on the monomer droplet surfaces is precipitation of the rising polymer on the particle interphase (water is a precipitant for the polymer). As a result, one can obtain stable polymer suspensions with polymer particles of up to 2 μm in diameter and narrow particle size distribution at a surfactant concentrationan order of magnitude lower than in the case of water-soluble surfactants.…”