title: Probing of cosolvents in polymer latex materials by using solvatochromic fluorescence.
abstract: The process of film formation is of great importance for the application of organic coatings. In waterborne coatings, organic cosolvents are still indispensable, but regulations force the industry to reduce their amounts. Here we describe a method that uses the solvatochromic fluorescence of a probe molecule copolymerized in an emulsion polymerization process with different monomers to shed light on the partitioning of cosolvents in polymer latex materials. The formulation of the latex with organic cosolvents that are not very water soluble leads to a quantifiable redshift of the emission of the probe. The transfer of the cosolvent upon mixing of cosolvent-containing and cosolvent-free compartments can also be monitored.
authors.affiliation: Universiteit van Amsterdam, Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129, 1018 WS Amsterdam, the Netherlands. a.m.brouwer@uva.nl
authors.forename: Albert M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Tanzeela N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Biemans
authors.forename: Tijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nabuurs
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tennebroek
mesh_terms: D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000379:methods; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004583:Electrons; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007840:Latex / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007840:Latex; D011108:Polymers; D012997:Solvents