Synthesis of highly carboxylated latex particles using a power feed process

Two series of highly carboxylated latex particles were synthesized via a power feed process. The concentration carboxylic groups were varied inside the particles and a gradient in the concentration from the interior to the surface was created. The power feed process, proposed by Bassett et al., was used for the synthesis of the functionalized materials and a mathematical model was proposed for this process and theoretical predictions for the concentration of carboxylic groups inside the particles were corroborated with experimental results. A methodology based on thermodynamic formalism is proposed to study the response of these materials to ion exchange.