Did You Know?

Redox Chemistries for Use in Aqueous-Based Polymer Dispersions, Part IV

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 01:01:00 -0500

PCI’s “Did You Know” column has published a wealth of information about redox chemistries for use in emulsion polymerizations. This edition, the final in a series, focuses on its use in aqueous-based polymer dispersions.

Redox Chemistries for Use in Aqueous-Based Polymer Dispersions, Part 3

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

PCI’s “Did You Know” column has published a wealth of information about redox chemistries for use in emulsion polymerizations. This edition, the third in a series, focuses on its use in aqueous-based polymer dispersions.

Redox Chemistries for Use in Aqueous-Based Polymer Dispersions, Part II

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Learn about redox chemistries for use in aqueous-based polymer dispersions.

Redox Chemistries for Use in Aqueous-Based Polymer Dispersions

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

PCI’s “Did You Know” column has published a wealth of information about redox chemistries for use in emulsion polymerizations. This edition focuses on its use in aqueous-based polymer dispersions.

A Wide Variety Of “Hybrid” Latex Particles Are Possible

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This month’s Did You Know column discusses several classes of hybrid latex particles.

What Does “Starve-Fed” Really Mean?

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Semibatch emulsion polymerizations are predominately run in “starve-fed” mode, but what does that really mean? In this edition of PCI’s Did You Know column, EPCEd discusses the reasons to run in starve-fed mode, and more.

How Does Interfacial and Mixed Polymer Content Contribute to the Final Morphology of Latex Particles?

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This article discusses how to control and quantify the amount of mixed polymer content as it can directly relate to the final morphology of the latex particles during polymerization.

How are Surfactants Distributed within Latex?

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400

The surfactants we add to synthetic latexes have allowed us to create wonderful nanoparticles and at the same time provide colloidal stability to the dispersions. But they also can cause foaming problems when mixing and transporting the latexes, and remain in the final products, causing potential water absorption problems in films and coatings.

How Much Ionic Strength is Too Much?

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

This article discusses relating the colloidal stability of latexes to the ionic strength of the aqueous phase via the “critical coagulation concentration.

Ionically Stabilized Latex Viscosity Is Sensitive to the Ionic Strength of the Aqueous Phase

Wed, 04 May 2022 09:51:00 -0400

Salt ions affect the thickness of the "double layer" around the particles. As the double layer shrinks, the latex particles can move around more easily, and the result is a lower viscosity latex.

How Does pH Impact the Polymerization of Functional Monomers?

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 10:36:00 -0500

Learn how to know what pH range to select to ensure functional monomer resides on the particle surface.

DSC Can Be a Critical Tool for Determining Morphology of Composite Latex Particles

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 13:30:00 -0500

Did you know that differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) can be an important, even critical, analytical tool for determining the morphology of composite latex particles?

There Are a Number of Advantages of a Starve-Fed Emulsion Polymerization Process

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0400

There are important advantages related to the latex properties that can be achieved with a semi-batch process, and more specifically a starve-fed process, which is simply a semi-batch process where the monomer concentration inside the polymer particles is kept very low by keeping the monomer feed rate to the reactor low.

Where the Acid Copolymer Is Located in the Latex Particle?

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 10:25:00 -0500

Although often not appreciated, it is important to recognize is that how you conduct your process has a profound impact on where the acid groups reside and therefore on your final product properties.

Changing Your Particle Size Distribution Will Also Impact Your Molecular Weight Distribution

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 13:45:00 -0500

The average molecular weight of a latex can be influenced by a number of factors, but it is often not realized that the number of particles in the latex (which is directly related to particle size) is important in determining molecular weight.

Changing Monomer Feed Rates in A Semi-Batch Emulsion Polymerization Can Affect Your Product Properties

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:14:00 -0400

Whatever your reasons for varying the monomer feed rates, be aware that there may be unintended effects; in addition to the desired outcome, some product properties may also change.

There Can Be a Large Difference Between the Wet and Dry Tg of Polymers

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 09:00:00 -0400

Did you know that there can be a large difference between the Tg of polymers when the sample is in the dry or the wet (with water) state?

Creating Core-Shell Latex Particles is Sometimes More a Dream than Reality

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0500

We have been working on morphology control in latex particles for many years and have come to learn that achieving desired structures in composite particles is dependent not only upon the emulsion polymerization recipe, but also strongly upon the reaction process conditions.