MICROEMULSION POLYMERIZATION OF VINYL-ACETATE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SODIUM-SALT OF THE SULPHOSUCCINIC ACID SEMIESTER WITH NONYL PHENOL ETHOXYLATED WITH 25 MOLES ETHYLENE-OXIDE AS SURFACTANT

The conditions of preparing microemulsions of vinyl acetate with ethan ol as cosurfactant were studied. The used surfactant was the sodium sa lt of the sulphosuccinic acid semiester with nonly phenol ethoxylated with 25 moles ethylene oxide. The refraction index variation of the mi croemulsions showed a positive from the ideal behavior, in terms of th e organic and aqueous phases ratio. This indicates the formation of bi continuous structures. The polymerization rate and the initiator decom position rate, ammonium persulphate, decreased as the surfactant conce ntration increased. The reaction order versus the initiator concentrat ion was 1 for the polymerization reaction and 1.8 for the initiator de composition reaction. Homogeneous systems resulted after polymerizatio n, if the ethanol/water mixtures were compatible both with the polymer and the surfactant.