title: Epoxy-acrylic core-shell particles by seeded emulsion polymerization.
abstract: We developed a novel method for synthesizing epoxy-acrylic hybrid latexes. We first prepared an aqueous dispersion of high molecular weight solid epoxy prepolymers using a mechanical dispersion process at elevated temperatures, and we subsequently used the epoxy dispersion as a seed in the emulsion polymerization of acrylic monomers comprising methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA). Advanced analytical techniques, such as scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and peak force tapping atomic force microscopy (PFT-AFM), have elucidated a unique core-shell morphology of the epoxy-acrylic hybrid particles. Moreover, the formation of the core-shell morphology in the seeded emulsion polymerization process is primarily attributed to kinetic trapping of the acrylic phase at the exterior of the epoxy particles. By this new method, we are able to design the epoxy and acrylic polymers in two separate steps, and we can potentially synthesize epoxy-acrylic hybrid latexes with a broad range of compositions.
authors.affiliation: Formulation Science, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States. Electronic address: LiangChen@Dow.com.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Formulation Science, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Analytical Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States.
authors.forename: Jui-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Analytical Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.affiliation: Analytical Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Dow Construction Chemicals, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radler
keywords: Epoxy-acrylic core-shell particles; Mechanical dispersion; Peak force tapping atomic force microscopy; Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy; Seeded emulsion polymerization