Entry of free radicals into latex particles in emulsion polymerization

Abstract

A model, together with a comparison with previously published experimental data, is presented for initiator efficiency in seeded styrene emulsion polymerization systems in the absence of secondary particle formation. The data had shown that a number of previous models are inapplicable, viz., those assuming that the rate-determining step for free-radical entry into a particle is either diffusional capture, surfactant displacement, or colloidal entry. The data support the supposition that the rate-determining step for free-radical capture by latex particles is aqueous-phase propagation to a critical degree of polymerization, whereupon capture (irreversible adsorption) of the resulting oligomeric free radical by a particle is essentially instantaneous. Mutual aqueous-phase termination of smaller species also occurs. When account is taken of the fact that the rate coefficients for (a) the first aqueous-phase propagation step and (b) aqueous-phase termination are both in the diffusion limit, this model is in qualitative and quantitative accord with the experimental dependences of the entry rate coefficient on the concentrations of initiator, of surfactant, of aqueous-phase monomer, and of latex particles as well as on particle size and on ionic strength. For styrene emulsion polymerization initiated by persulfate, the critical oligomer size for entry was found to be dimeric.