Anionic surfmers in mini-emulsion polymerisation

Mini-emulsion polymerisation of styrene or methylmethacrylate, initiated with ammonium persulphate, have been carried out, in the presence of hexadecane or of polymethylmethacrylate as hydrophobic costabilizer, and the simple hemiester of linear dodecyl alcohol and maleic anhydride, or polymerisable surfactants (surfmers) derived from the condensation of succinic anhydride and either hydroxy propylmethacrylate (MAES), or hydroxyethylmethacrylate (ABS). While the pure surfmers have not so good surface activity, from surface tension measurements, stable mini-emulsion droplets are obtained using a mixture with low amounts of SDS, which have diameters of about 100–200 nm, which remain stable upon polymerisation. Most of the surfmers remain grafted onto the particle surface, thus conferring to these particles strong stability in the various tests. However, due to the high water solubility of the surfmers, another part remains in the serum as unconverted monomer or water-soluble polymers.