The “Did You Know….?” series is a bi-monthly note from Emulsion Polymers Consulting and Education (EPCEd) that is intended to present simple questions about topics that are important to those working in the emulsion polymers area. Short and concise answers to those questions are presented to educate readers and to elicit comments and further discussion. Some readers will already know the answers and be familiar with the topic while others, especially those newer to the field, will benefit from the answers and discussion. Experienced practitioners may also find new insights in the discussion. Paint & Coatings Industry magazine has partnered with EPCEd to share the “Did You Know” notes with our readers throughout the year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This article discusses relating the colloidal stability of latexes to the ionic strength of the aqueous phase via the “critical coagulation concentration.
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.