Emulsion polymerization of a sugar derivative - Kinetic studies and properties of the sugar latexes

Free-radical batch-emulsion polymerization of 3-O-methacryloyl-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranose (3-MDG) initiated by a water-soluble initiator (potassium peroxodisulfate, KPS), in the presence of an ionic emulsifier (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS), was investigated at 60 degreesC. The effect of the emulsifier and initiator concentration on the reaction kinetics and on the colloidal and molecular properties of the sugar latexes was studied. It was found that the rate of polymerization over interval II is proportional to the concentration of the initiator and the emulsifier raised to the power of 0.40 and 0.68, respectively. The particle size decreased and the number of particles increased with increasing either SDS or KPS concentration. The average value of the propagation rate constants of polymerization (k(p)) for 3-MDG was found to be 257 L.mol(-1).s(-1). The weight-average molecular weights also increased with increasing the emulsifier concentration. The sugar latexes exhibit a high glass transition temperature (T-g) of 167 degreesC)