Charles J. McDonald

Hollow latex particles: synthesis and applications.

One of the major developments in emulsion polymerization over the last two decades has been the ability to make hollow latex particles. This has contributed many fundamental insights into the synthesis and the development of structure in particles. Hollow latex particles also enhance the performance of industrial coatings and potentially are useful in other technologies such as microencapsulation and controlled release. Ever since the publication of the initial process patents describing these particles, there has been a global R&D effort to extend the synthetic techniques and applications. One prominent synthetic approach to hollow particles is based on osmotic swelling. This dominates the literature, and usually starts with the synthesis of a structured latex particle containing an ionizable core that is subsequently expanded with the addition of base. Fundamental to this approach are a sophisticated control of transport phenomena, chemical reactivity within the particle, and the thermoplastic properties of the polymer shell. Hydrocarbon encapsulation technology has also been employed to make hollow latex particles. One approach involves a dispersed ternary system that balances transport, conversion kinetics, and phase separation variables to achieve the hollow morphology. Other techniques, including the use of blowing agents, are also present in the literature. The broad range of approaches that affords particles with a hollow structure demonstrates the unique flexibility of the emulsion polymerization process.

Porous latex composite membranes: fabrication and properties

Abstract A new class of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membranes has been developed. By placing latex particles onto the surface of a microporous substrate and stabilizing the porous array, voids are formed between the particles which provide narrowly distributed pores that serve as separation channels. The size of the interstitial voids in the array is governed by the diameter of the latex particle. This aqueous based technology has advantages relative to other membrane fabrication processes in terms of the high asymmetry of the membranes, the facile adjustment of pore sizes, and the ability to easily modify pore surfaces during the synthesis of particles. A number of approaches were examined for placement of particles and stabilization of latex composite membranes (LCMs). Filtration of particles with reactive surface groups that provide covalent linkages at the contact points in the particle array proved most effective in obtaining stable membranes. These membranes had narrow size distributions in both the UF and MF range and were capable of being cleaned and backflushed. The membranes were characterized in terms of gas permeabilities, pure water permeabilities and electron microscopy. The rejection properties of LCMs were also examined during filtration of monodispersed latex particles and a broadly dispersed dextran mixture.

CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ACRYLAMIDE MODIFIED ETHYL ACRYLATE LATEX BY CARBON-13 NMR SPECTROSCOPY

ABSTRACT The structure of a 70/30 ethyl acrylate-acrylamide latex made in a semi-continuous process with surfactant has been investigated. The molar composition and relative concentration of the polymers in the serum phase, on the surface and in the particle were characterized by coupling a filtration procedure, serum replacement, with carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy. The development of polymer in the different phases could be monitored by taking samples at timed intervals during the polymerization. Post-treatment of the latex with sodium hydroxide selectively hydrolyzed the copolymerized ethyl acrylate in the serum and on the surface. By measurement of spin lattice relaxation times it was possible to estimate surface concentration of oligomeric polymer