SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 2-PHASE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS MADE OF CROSS-LINKED POLYSTYRENE LATEX

Biphasic materials have been prepared by free radical polymerization o f styrene or methylmethacrylate in which styrenic latex particles are dispersed. These latexes are stabilized either ionically (by sodium do decylsulfate) or sterically (by polystyrene-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers) and are crosslinked at different levels with divinylbenze ne. The study of these materials was achieved by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). In the ca se of the styrenic matrix, only one glass transition temperature (T-g) is detected by DSC and two mechanical transition temperatures (T-alph a) are observed by DMA. The materials with the methylmethacrylic matri x show two T(g)s by DSC analysis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.