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Direct Synthesis of Fractal Polymer Dispersions by Miniemulsion Polymerization
Author(s) -
López Ana B.,
Cal José C.,
Asua José M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201600673
Subject(s) - miniemulsion , materials science , fractal , polymer , dispersion (optics) , coating , colloid , polymerization , contact angle , emulsion polymerization , dispersion polymerization , polymer science , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , engineering , optics
Fractal colloids, which find applications in the preparation of advanced materials, are currently synthesized by means of a multistep procedure that yields a low solids content dispersion. This is not well suited for certain applications such as superhydrophobic coatings. In this work, a one‐step method for the synthesis of higher solids content waterborne fractal polymer dispersions is presented and it is shown that the surfaces obtained from the fractal dispersions are superhydrophobic (contact angle, θ > 150°) which is beyond the current waterborne coating technology (θ = 130°–137°). This opens the possibility for the large‐scale production of waterborne superhydrophobic coatings.