ABSTRACT
The adsorption of surfactants to the surface of more polar/hydrophilic emulsion polymer surfaces is somewhat different. Emulsion polymers are a major factor in the manufacture and formulation of products used in many raw material and applications areas. The essential components of an emulsion polymer system are monomer, dispersant, catalyst, and water. Emulsion polymers are prepared from monomers that can be polymerized by a free-radical mechanism. Free-radical polymerizations are rapid and may be characterized by the generally accepted chain-reaction steps of initiation, propogation, and termination. Prior to polymerization, water, which is the continuous phase, has dispersed in it droplets of monomer and surfactant micelles swollen with monomer. Regardless of the exact mechanism by which polymerization actually occurs, the role of soap is crucial, and its effect on the polymerization process and the final product depends very much on the nature of the soap. A decrease in particle size increases the rate of polymerization.
