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Unexpected Secondary Nucleation in Poly(Vinyl acetate) Nanoparticle Synthesis by Ab Initio Batch Emulsion Polymerization Using Poly(Vinyl alcohol) as Surfactant
Author(s) -
RochaBotello Gabriela,
OlveraGuillen Roberto,
HerreraOrdonez Jorge,
CruzSoto Martha,
VictoriaValenzuela David
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
macromolecular reaction engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1862-8338
pISSN - 1862-832X
DOI - 10.1002/mren.201900024
Subject(s) - emulsion polymerization , nucleation , vinyl alcohol , polymerization , polymer chemistry , vinyl acetate , steric effects , polymer , chemistry , nanoparticle , materials science , chemical engineering , copolymer , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , engineering
Kinetic aspects of the vinyl acetate ab initio batch emulsion polymerization using poly(vinyl alcohol) to produce polymer nanoparticles are studied. The initial nucleation step is followed by limited coagulation and then by the generation of new particles. It seems that this is the first report of secondary nucleation phenomenon occurring in the system under study in batch mode. To explain this phenomenon, a mathematical model that allows to determine whether certain polymerization conditions and the presence/absence of a steric barrier, can lead or not to significant secondary nucleation is developed. It is deduced that the effect of such steric barrier on the free‐radical entry process plays a key role on the observed phenomenon.