Novel polymerizable surfactants: synthesis and application in the emulsion polymerization of styrene

Water-Resistant Latex Coatings: Tuning of Properties by Polymerizable Surfactant, Covalent Crosslinking and Nanostructured ZnO Additive

This paper deals with the development of acrylic latexes providing high-performance water-resistant coatings. For this purpose, mutual effects of anionic surfactant type (ordinary and polymerizable), covalent intra- and/or interparticle crosslinking (introduced by allyl methacrylate copolymerization and keto-hydrazide reaction, respectively) and ionic crosslinking (provided by nanostructured ZnO additive) were investigated. The latexes were prepared by the standard emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate and methacrylic acid as the main monomers. The addition of surface-untreated powdered nanostructured ZnO was performed during latex synthesis, resulting in stable latexes comprising dispersed nanosized additive in the content of ca 0.9−1.0 wt.% (based on solids). The coating performance with emphasis on water resistance was evaluated. It was determined that the application of the polymerizable surfactant improved coating adhesion and water-resistance, but it wasn′t able to ensure high water-resistance of coatings. Highly water-resistant coatings were obtained provided that covalent intra- and interparticle crosslinking together with ionic crosslinking were employed in the coating composition, forming densely crosslinked latex films. Moreover, coatings comprising nanostructured ZnO additive displayed a significant antibacterial activity and improved solvent resistance.

Interaction of hairy carboxyalkyl cellulose nanocrystals with cationic surfactant: Effect of carbon spacer

Tuning the surface chemistry of nanocellulose is essential for developing its end-use applications. Herein, different carboxyalkylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with similar charge densities but with tunable hairy structures were produced. The effect of carbon spacer of the grafted groups on the interaction of the CNC and a cationic surfactant, myristyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (MTAB), at different pH and salinity was explored. The CNC with longer grafted chain length was more hydrophobic, adsorbed more MTAB, and formed a more compact MTAB adlayer than did CNC with the shorter chain length. Also, the adsorption was higher at neutral pH, implying a high electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interaction between substrates. The hydrophobic interaction of MTAB and hairy CNC in saline systems improved its adsorption. Although MTAB adsorbed more when its concentration was higher than its critical micelle concentration (CMC), the adsorbed adlayer had a less compact structure on the CNC surfaces.

Surface-Functionalized Polystyrene Latexes Using Itaconate-Based Surfmers

Itaconic acid was readily transformed to a series of amphiphilic diesters via stepwise esterification of itaconic anhydride; the diesters carry one alkyl (cetyl or octyl) group and either a PEG, glyceryl, or dopamine segment. These diesters were used as surfmers for the preparation of polystyrene (PS) emulsions, with the expectation that the surface of the emulsion particles would carry PEG, glyceryl or dopamine units. NMR spectroscopic studies revealed that the surfmers were covalently incorporated into the polystyrene chains; furthermore, NMR tube polymerization experiments also confirmed that when the PEG surfmer was used, the PEG segments are indeed present on the surface of the emulsion particles. The size of the PEGlyated PS emulsions was readily varied from 35 to 140 nm by changing the mole fraction of surfmer used. In the case of the glyceryl and dopamine carrying surfmers, an octyl unit was used as the hydrophobic segment to ensure appropriate hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance; it was noticed that significantly larger mole fractions of the surfmers were required (15-20 mol %) to generate stable emulsions with particle sizes of about 150 nm. The PS emulsions carrying dopamine units on the surface were found to adhere to glass surfaces; thus suggesting that such "sticky" emulsion particles could be used to functionalize different types of surfaces. Finally, itaconate diesters bearing cetyl and perfluorooctyl segments were also prepared and shown to copolymerize with styrene to generate fluoroalkyl-enriched PS copolymers; these were used to generate hydrophobic coatings, with water contact angles of over 120°. Thus, itaconate-based surfmers are readily accessible alternatives for the preparation of emulsions with tailored size and surface functionality.

Active Ester Containing Surfmer for One-Stage Polymer Nanoparticle Surface Functionalization in Mini-Emulsion Polymerization

Functional surface active monomers (surfmers) are molecules that combine the functionalities of surface activity, polymerizability, and reactive groups. This study presents an improved pathway for the synthesis of the active ester containing surfmer p-(11-acrylamido)undecanoyloxyphenyl dimethylsulfonium methyl sulfate (AUPDS). Further, the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) by mini-emulsion polymerization using AUPDS is investigated, leading to NPs with active ester groups on their surface. By systematically varying reaction parameters and reagent concentrations, it was found that AUPDS feed concentrations between 2⁻4 mol% yielded narrowly distributed and stable spherical particles with average sizes between 83 and 134 nm for non-cross-linked NPs, and up to 163 nm for cross-linked NPs. By basic hydrolysis of the active ester groups in aqueous dispersion, the positive ζ-potential (ZP) was converted into a negative ZP and charge quantities determined by polyelectrolyte titrations before and after hydrolysis were in the same range, indicating that the active ester groups were indeed accessible in aqueous suspension. Increasing cross-linker amounts over 10 mol% also led to a decrease of ZP of NPs, probably due to internalization of the AUPDS during polymerization. In conclusion, by using optimized reaction conditions, it is possible to prepare active ester functionalized NPs in one stage using AUPDS as a surfmer in mini-emulsion polymerization.