CONVERSION DEPENDENT MORPHOLOGY PREDICTIONS FOR COMPOSITE EMULSION POLYMERS .2. ARTIFICIAL LATTICES

An equilibrium thermodynamic analysis of composite particle morphology development within artificial latices is presented. The analysis emphasizes the role of the solvent upon phase compositions and interfacial tensions, and predictions of the favoured morphology are made as a function of the extent of solvent removal. Experimental observations of the morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene composite particles agree well with the predictions and demonstrate the significant role that the surfactant can have upon the preferred particle structure. Consideration is given to the choice of solvent used to produce the artificial latex and it is predicted that the preferred particle morphology is unlikely to be dependent upon the type of solvent used in the process.