Preparation of self-crosslinked acrylate emulsion with high elasticity and its rheological properties

Abstract

Using butyl acrylate(BA), methyl methacrylate(MMA), methacrylic acid(MAA) and mixed emulsifier as raw materials, the self-crosslinked emulsion was prepared via pre-emulsified and semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization technology in the presence of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide and poly solidum maleate. The influence of mass ratio of BA to MMA, amount of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide and poly solidum maleate on the rheological properties of the self-crosslinked emulsion was studied. Possible cross-linked mechanism of self-crosslinked monomer was investigated. And the relationship between emulsion viscosity and shear rate was investigated. The results show that the self-crosslinked acrylate emulsion with high elasticity can be synthesized when the mass fractions of BA is 60%, MMA is 40%, and added amount of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide is 2.5%–3.0% and added amount of poly solidum maleate is 0.3%–0.4%. The self-crosslinkage process of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide involves two steps. One is copolymerization of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide and acrylate, the other is cross-linkage among polymer molecules via condensation reaction of methylol. The emulsion is of rheological properties of pseudo-plastic fluid and belongs to non-Newtonian fluid.