Miniemulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate. II. Mathematical model for the monomer transport

Abstract

Abstract A mathematical model is presented to describe the monomer transport between monomer droplets, aqueous phase, and polymer particles during the course of an emulsion polymerization. The model was used to investigate the role of the cosurfactant (hexadecane) in the miniemulsion copolymerization of 50:50 molar ratio vinyl acetate‐butyl acrylate monomer mixture, as well as the effect of the different components and process variables on the rate of copolymerization, monomer distribution between phases, and composition of the copolymer.