Homogenisation devices for the production of miniemulsions

Abstract

The use of static mixers and a high-intensity homogeniser (type rotor–stator) to generate polymerisable miniemulsions was investigated. The results showed that it is possible to make stable, polymerisable dispersions of droplets with an average particle size of the same order as those obtained using ultrasonification in the case of the rotor–stator, and slightly larger with very simple static mixers. Homogenisation times are on the order of 1–4 h when a previously identified stabilisation system is used to form monomer droplets Ouzineb, K., et al., [2004. Stabilization and compartmentalization in miniemulsion polymerization. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 91, 115–124]. An order of magnitude energy balance shows that static mixers can be used to generate droplets using significantly less energy than is needed for the rotor–stator or ultrasonification. Results also show that the two techniques presented here can also be used to generate relatively concentrated polymerisable dispersions.