SWELLING BEHAVIOR OF POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES WITH MONOMERS COMMONLY USED IN SEEDED EMULSION POLYMERIZATIONS

In seeded emulsion (co)polymerization, the evolution throughout the reaction of the monomer concentration(s) in the latex particles affects its final properties, such concentrations resulting from the balance between the swelling and polymerization kinetics. Thus, the swelling behavior of 180 latexes was determined, by systematically modifying: (a) the water/polymer and the monomer/polymer ratios, (b) the seed particle size, and (c) the type of swelling monomer. Trend curves correlating the monomer concentration in the particles at equilibrium conditions and the relative amount of monomer added to the system are proposed. In addition, for each system with slow swelling, its swelling kinetics is also reported.