Nonaqueous Dispersion Formed by an Emulsion Solvent Evaporation Method Using Block-Random Copolymer Surfactant Synthesized by RAFT Polymerization

Interfacial Instability of Emulsion Droplets Containing a Polymer and a Fatty Alcohol

We investigated the interfacial instability of emulsion droplets via in situ measuring the oil/water interfacial tension (IFT) using the capillary suction method. The discrete phase of the oil-in-water emulsion contains a hydrophobic polymer (polystyrene, PS) and a fatty alcohol cosurfactant n-cetyl alcohol (CA) or n-octadecanol (OD), both of which were dissolved in an organic solvent (chloroform). The continuous phase is an aqueous solution of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS). Upon removal of the organic solvent, the concentrations of CA and PS increase gradually, which induce a continual decrease of the IFT until the occurrence of interfacial instability. Micropipette tensiometry performed on an evaporating emulsion droplet reveals that interfacial instability is triggered when the IFT decreases close to ∼0.17 mN/m. As a result, micron particles with wrinkled surfaces can be obtained after the complete removal of the organic solvent. The effect of the initial concentration and alkyl chain length of the cosurfactant on the interfacial instability and surface roughness of the formed particles was studied. This study provides theoretical guidance for the preparation of micrometer-sized polymer particles with diverse morphologies via the interfacial instability of emulsion droplets.

RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion polymerization with cellulose nanocrystals grafted with random copolymer as stabilizer

The synthesis of a RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion was firstly achieved by using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) grafted with a random copolymer as the stabilizer. Firstly, poly(acrylonitrile-r-butyl acrylate) (poly(AN-r-nBA)) was synthesized by Cu(0)-mediated CRP, which was further modified via a click chemistry strategy to obtain poly(ethylene tetrazole-r-butyl acrylate) (poly(VT-r-nBA)). Then, poly(VT-r-nBA) was grafted onto the CNCs through a Mitsunobu reaction to obtain poly(VT-r-nBA)-g-CNCs. Stabilized by poly(VT-r-nBA)-g-CNCs, an O/W RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion was formed for the preparation of well-controlled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles with water-soluble potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator and oil-soluble 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate (CPADB) as a chain transfer agent. Rheological analysis suggested that the prepared Pickering emulsion possessed good stability under the influences of changes in strain, time, frequency and temperature. Furthermore, the recycling and further utilization of the poly(VT-r-nBA)-g-CNCs could be simply realized through centrifugal separation.

A RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion with cellulose nanocrystals grafted with a random copolymer was used for the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate) particles..

Synthesis of well-defined epoxy-functional spherical nanoparticles by RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization

The environmentally-friendly synthesis of epoxy-functional spherical nanoparticles is achieved via RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate under mild conditions; derivatization of such nanoparticles with sodium azide or diamines is demonstrated.