Synthesis of Poly(Methylmethacrylate) Latex with Enhanced Rigidity through Surfactant Control
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Synthesis of Poly(Methylmethacrylate) Latex with Enhanced Rigidity through Surfactant Control Alex H.F. Wua, K. L. Chob, Irving I. Liawb, Hua Zhangb and Robert N Lambb,c a
School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; b School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. c Australian Synchrotron Company Ltd., Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia ABSTRACT Water-based polymer latexes have attracted much attention since their invention in the early 1950s. Its advantages for both general health and the environment were recognized as they emit far less volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than their solvent-based counterparts. The performance of latex paints and coatings is directly proportional to the ease of particle deformation. This is the main driving force for the paints and coatings industry to focus its research efforts towards understanding its mechanism. In contrast, little has been published with respect to enhancing latex’s resistance against deformation despite such needs in applications such as templating porous ceramics for catalysis and biomaterial engineering. Specifically, the latex’s resistance to deformation is crucial to retain a network of uniform pores for applications relating to enzyme immobilization and materials reinforcement. The current study reports increased heat-resistance observed in latexes when synthesized using a rigid surfactant, dimethyl siloxane – ethylene oxide block copolymer (PDMS-PEO). The film formation process for this latex was deduced using atomic force microscopy and subsequent roughness analysis. A comparative study using a non-ionic long-chain hydrocarbon surfactant, morpholine oleate, was also conducted. INTRODUCTION Polymer latexes have attracted much attention due to its potential application in drug delivery [1], enzyme immobilization [2] and materials templating [3]. Since its invention in the early 1950s [4], water-based latex paints and coatings were recognised as advantageous for both the environment and health as it emits far less volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than their solvent-based counterpart [5]. The rigidity and heat-resistance of latexes can be measured as a function of film formation temperature and is defined as the minimum temperature in which a latex film begins to collapse into a smooth film [5]. Film formation and heat-resistance of a polymer is primarily governed by the degree of cross-linking within its primary structure. To date, little has been published regarding the effect of surfactant on polymer latex rigidity and heat-resistance.
The current study reports the use of a polymerisation technique using a non-ionic siloxane surfactant, dimethyl siloxane – ethylene oxide block copolymer (PDMS-PEO) to produce monodisperse poly(methylmethacrylate) latex of enhanced rigidity and heat-resistance. A comparative study using a non-ionic long-chain hydrocarbon surfactant, morpholine oleate, was also conducted. EXPERIMENT All chemical reagents were used as received u
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