Effects of alkali soluble resin on the emulsion polymerization of butyl methacrylate

In this work, alkali soluble resin (ASR) was evaluated as a surfactant in t he emulsion polymerization of butyl methacrylate (BMA). Kinetic analysis in dicated that the ASR surfactant retarded the reaction rate and reduced the average number of radicals per latex particle. Since the particle nucleatio n period proceeds until the disappearance of droplets, Interval II does not exist in this system. Experimental results show that the particle number d epends on the 0.31 and 0.51 powers of the ASR and KPS concentration, respec tively. The particle size distribution of the latex becomes broad with the increase of the ASR concentration in the emulsion polymerization. This phen omenon explains why the period of the particle nucleation is proportional t o the ASR concentration used in the reaction.