STUDY ON THE POLYMERIZATION KINETICS AND STABILITY OF P(UA)/MMA MICROEMULSION

Urethane acrylate anionomer (APUA) as a kind of new type polymerizable emulsifier was synthesized using 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI), polypropylene glycol (PPG), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of APUA was measured by the methods of conductance and surface tension. The comparative studies between polymerizable emulsifier AUPA and conventional emulsifier sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were carried out in the emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). Polymerization kinetics,stability, size and morphology of the latex particles were investigated. It was found that in APUA both water soluble initiator potassium persulfate (KPS) and oil soluble initiator 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) can start the reaction of MMA, and the polymerization rate and yield were very high. On using AIBN as an initiator, the conversion-time behavior of MMA with APUA as emulsifier was different to that of SDS as emulsifier, signifying a different nucleation mechanism of the polymer latex particle. The average size of the two kinds of particles is about 50 nm. The particle size decreases with increasing emulsifier concentration. On using KPS as the initiator, APUA as emulsifier, cross-linking hydrogel of PMMA would be formed, but SDS was used as emulsifier and the hydrogel of PMMA was not present.