ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION A. Overview In emulsion polymerization, surfactants are needed to control particle size and particle size distribution as well as to ensure the stability of the dispersion during the polymerization process. They may, however, cause a number of practical difficulties when the dispersions are to be used subsequently. These drawbacks are due to the fact that the surfactants can be desorbed from the particle surface. In order to get nondesorbable surfactants, there are two possibilities. One can create covalent bonds between the surfactant and the material of the particles, i.e., use polymerizable surfactants, or use surfactants so strongly adsorbed onto the particle surface that they cannot be desorbed. This chapter is, consequently, divided in two parts. First, the state of the art is described, and outstanding problems are discussed. Second, recent developments are critically described.
