Incorporation of Very Insoluble Monomers in Waterborne Coatings

The benefits of polymerizing very insoluble monomers in aqueous media, avoiding the use of energy-intensive procedures, by implementing two novel synthesis techniques based on the emulsifier combination in emulsion polymerization and on miniemulsification by phase inversion temperature are investigated. The performance of standalone polymers consisting of monomers, namely lauryl methacrylate, isobornyl acrylate, and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl acrylate, and of formulated binders with these monomers incorporated either through blending or in situ polymerization, is evaluated with special emphasis on their water-barrier properties (e.g., uptake, whitening, immersion, and vapor resistance) and on their chemical resistance. The performance of the standalone polymers is found to be similar to that of polymers prepared by high-shear miniemulsion polymerization, while the performance of the formulated binders is generally superior to a commercial coating formulation based on a binder recommended for water resistance.