Synthesis of core‐shell latexes by redox initiation at ambient temperatures

Abstract

Abstract Core‐shell polymer composites made by two‐stage emulsion polymerizations are useful in many applications. In systems involving a hydrophilic/hydrophobic polymer pair, a core‐shell arrangement is thermodynamically unfavorable and may be difficult to achieve. To counteract the thermodynamic forces in such a system, the mobility of the phases can be reduced to such an extent that a core‐shell morphology is achieved. This was accomplished in a PMMA/PS two‐stage system by lowering the second‐stage polymerization temperature to room temperature using a redox initiator. At this relatively low temperature, a core‐shell morphology was obtained even when the second‐stage was carried out as a batch polymerization. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.