Particulate Science and Technology, Vol.14, No.4, 315-326, 1996
Synthesis and characterization of controlled sizes: Polystyrene latexes
Several parameters and their limitations to prepare monodisperse polystyrene particles were discussed. Polystyrene latexes B, C and D of diameter 129.8, 142.8 and 264.5 nm, respectively, were synthesized by emulsion polymerization method. The latex D is almost monodisperse with very low polydispersity of 0.005 while B and C are having polydispersity of 0.1837 and 0.1601. The particle size and particle size distribution of the latexes were determined by a TEM and Brookhaven particle size analyzer. It was observed that the particle size of the latexes decreased with increasing initiator (ammonium persulfate) or surfactant (SDS) concentrations. The surface area of the latexes were calculated by using BET equation on the basis of the amount of nitrogen gas adsorbed at the surface of the particles to form a monolayer. It was observed that the surface area of latex D is less than B and C because of the bigger size of the particles. The average molecular weights, zeta potentials and densities of the latexes were also presented.
Keywords:FREE EMULSION POLYMERIZATION;AQUEOUS-PHASE POLYMERIZATION;PARTICLE;STYRENE;DISPERSIONS;KINETICS