Synthesis of Polymer Latices with Segregated Hydrophilic Domains by Means of Seeded Copolymerization Method

The polymerization mechanism and the surface structure of styrene (ST) -glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) copolymer latices prepared by a soap-free seeded emulsion copolymerization method were investigated. During the first stage, a mixture of ST and GMA was polymerized to form seeded particles, and then ST was added dropwise to grow the seed particles. In this polymerization process, ST added in the second stage was dissolved into the aqueous medium, and was then absorbed and diffused into the seed particles. In the polymerization process of this adsorbed ST monomer, the hydrophobic polystyrene domains undergo phase separation against the GMA-rich copolymer domains formed in the first polymerization process, inducing the polymer latices with segregated hydrophilic domains at its surface. This phenomenon was confirmed by the polymerization behavior, the surface analysis based on the soap-titration of the latices, and the morphological analysis of the cross section of the latices.