5. Emulsion polymerization
Unlike the suspension process, where each droplet can be considered a mini mass reactor, emulsion polymerization essentially takes place in surfactant micelles swollen with monomer molecules, with initiation triggered by the entry of primary radicals from a water-soluble initiator (ammonium or potassium persulfate, redox system...) into these micelles.
After particle nucleation, the particles grow in size to form colloidal-sized polymer particles (latex) (100 nm to 1 μm), dispersed in the continuous phase and stabilized by the surfactant. The monomer is transported from the droplets to the micelles by diffusion through the continuous phase. The complete mechanism is described below. Latex is a kinetically stable dispersion which does not settle when agitation ceases. The size of the particles makes them invisible to the...
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Emulsion polymerization
Mini-emulsion polymerization
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