PRINCIPLES AND LIMITS OF POLYMER LATEX TAILORING

The preparation of a synthetic latex is a very complex process that is affected by the monomers selected, surfactants, initiators and the po lymerization process. The semi-continuous process is the most frequent as it enables the control of the polymerization heat removal as well as the control of the composition of the copolymers comprising several types of monomer units. Some aspects of copolymerization in emulsion and particle growth in the case of the semi-continuous process are dis cussed. Copolymers usually comprise 4-5 comonomers, some of them with functional groups. Functional groups serve as loci for crosslinking, i mprove colloid stability, increase polarity, improve adhesion, cause a lkali-solubility and/or alkali-swellability. High value polymer latice s with special particle morphology, composition and other characterist ics can be tailor-made by using special polymerization recipes that ar e still mostly empirical.