Morphology of Polymer/Clay Latex Particles Synthesized by Miniemulsion Polymerization: Modeling and Experimental Results

Abstract

Abstract BA/MMA (90:10 wt.‐%) were copolymerized in the presence of two different organomodified clays (C30B and CMA16) and 1.6–2.6 wbm.‐% surfactants. The effect of the compatibility of the organoclay in the monomer mixture on the morphology of hybrid polymer/clay particles was determined using TEM. The resulting morphologies were compared with the prediction of a Monte‐Carlo simulation that determined the equilibrium morphology of monomer/clay hybrid miniemulsion droplets. The model predicted encapsulated morphologies only when the organoclay presented low clay/monomer and high clay/water interfacial tensions. C30B and CMA16 did not fulfill these conditions and provided a preferential surface location of the platelets on the polymer/water interphase as predicted by the model. magnified image