Synthesis of polymer particles and nanocapsules stabilized with PEO/PPO containing polymerizable surfactants in miniemulsion

We describe the miniemulsion polymerization of vinyl monomers stabilized in the presence of the polymerizable anionic surfactant Tego XP-1008 and the polymerizable nonionic surfactant Tego XP-1007. Different amounts of polymerizable surfactants and various types of initiators were used to investigate the size and the stability of the final latex particles by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light-scattering measurements. The grafting of the polymerizable surfactants onto the surface of the latex particles was checked by NNIR and XPS measurements and was found to be efficient. Finally, polymerizations of appropriate formulations containing divinylbenzene with the polymerizable surfactant Tego XP-1008 in the presence of a larger amount of hydrophobic agent produced nanocapsules.