KINETICS AND PARTICLE FORMATION IN THE PRECIPITATION POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLIC-ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF POLYSTYRENE-BLOCK-POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) COPOLYMERS

A surfactant system containing polystyrene-block-poly(oxyethylene) and water was used for the free radical precipitation polymerization of acrylic acid in toluene. The use of this stabilizing system makes it possible to produce poly(acrylic acid) dispersions with a particle diameter ranging from 50 to 300 nm and solid contents up to 40 wt.-%, which remain stable for months. The rate of polymerization, which was measured on-line in a reaction calorimeter shows a strong autocatalytic behavior. The maximum of the polymerization rate and the corresponding time of appearance depend strongly on the water content. The influence of the composition of the surfactant (block length), its concentration and the concentration of initiator and monomer on the polymerization rate and the particle diameter were studied. Especially by varying the block length of the copolymer, the number of particles, respectively the particle diameter, can be controlled. To describe the course of the polymerization process, a model based on the theory of homogeneous particle nucleation is suggested. The influence of water on the swelling equilibrium of the poly(acrylic acid) particles is taken into account.