Copolymerization of styrene with acrylamide derivatives in an emulsifier‐free aqueous medium

Abstract

Abstract Acrylamide derivatives were copolymerized with styrene in an emulsifier‐free aqueous medium, and the copolymerization mode and the characteristics of the resulting latices were compared with those of a styrene–acrylamide copolymerization system. In their copolymerization mode, N ‐(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide and N , N ‐dimethylacrylamide resembled acrylamide, and their heterogeneous copolymerization course was divided into three stages on the basis of the main reaction locus. Copolymerization of styrene–methacrylamide did not resemble that of the others. The interfacial property and reactivity of acrylamides affected not only the polymerization mechanism but also the latex properties, e.g., particle size, distribution of acrylamides units in the latex, etc. The narrowest distribution of particle size was obtained in styrene– N ‐(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide copolymerization at a monomer ratio of 10:1. Delayed addition of styrene into the aqueous solution of N ‐(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide prepolymerized to some extent was found to be effective in preparing a latex with nearly monodisperse and large particles.