Reactive surfactants in heterophase polymerization

This paper summarizes the work carried out during 3 years in a Network of t he program "Human Capital and Mobility" of the European Union CHRX 93-0159 entitled "Reactive surfactants in heterophase polymerization for high perfo rmance polymers". A series of about 25 original papers will be published in the open literature under the general title of this feature article from P art I to Part XXV. The synthesis of selected surfactants either anionic or non ionic, and as w ell inisurfs (both initiators and surfactants), transurfs (both transfer ag ent and surfactants) or surfmers (both comonomers and surfactants) is short ly described. They were applied in emulsion polymerization and dispersion p olymerization, and their behavior in shortly discussed. Finally films have been produced from a few of them, mainly from surfmer with maleic reactivit y, and the main properties, and interests of such films are discussed.