The Synthesis of Polystyrene Suspensions in the Presence of a Mixture of Water-Soluble and Water-Insoluble Surfactants

Abstract

Polystyrene suspensions with an average particle diameter of 0.1–0.25 μm and a narrow particle size distribution were synthesised in the presence of a mixture of surfactants – sodium alkyl sulphonate (E-30), oxyethylated sulphated alkylphenol (AP-9), and organosilicon surfactant α,ω-bis[10-carboxydecyl] polydimethylsiloxane (CS). It was shown that the absence of a highly disperse particle fraction in the suspension is observed only when the polymerisation of styrene is carried out with an ionogenic surfactant content close to the critical micelle concentration (CMC).