THE STABILIZATION EFFECT OF MIXED-SURFACTANTS IN THE EMULSION POLYMERIZATION OF NORMAL-BUTYL ACRYLATE

Using a blend of anionic and nonionic surfactants, the emulsion polymerization of n-butyl acrylate was conducted at 50-degrees-C. The total particle surface area per cm3 of aqueous solution (TS) at 90% conversion was found to be proportional to the amount of surfactant (E) used in the single-surfactant systems. A relationship close to additive exists between the TS value and the E of each surfactant used. For most of the recipes, the latex particles were uniform throughout the polymerization. However, in some recipes, the particle number varied during the polymerization.