Polymerization of Vinylbenzylhexadecyldimethylammonium Chloride under w/o Microemulsion Conditions

Vinylbenzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (VBHDAC) was polymerized with AIBN in benzene under the conditions where VBHDAC formed w/o microemulsions with water. The yield of polymer was hardly dependent either on the amount of added water or on the concentration of the monomer while the yield was varied with the addition of the corresponding non-polymerizable surfactant, benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDAC). The polymerization proceeded even in the absence of AIBN under w/o microemulsion conditions, though at a slow rate. The investigation of dilute solution viscosity of the resulting polymers revealed the polymerization behavior of the monomer under these conditions.