High‐performance poly(butylene oxide)/poly (ethylene oxide) block copolymer surfactants for the preparation of water‐in‐oil high internal phase emulsions

High‐performance surfactants have been developed for the preparation of water‐in‐oil high internal phase emulsions (HIPE), particularly for the preparation of polymerized HIPE foams. High‐efficiency surfactants with poly(butylene oxide)/poly(ethylene oxide) (BO/EO) block copolymer backbones have been developed that can stabilize an HIPE through polymerization at concentrations as low as 0.006 wt% based on total emulsion weight. Polymerizable versions have been developed that bind into the polymeric foam backbone. BO/EO block copolymer surfactants also allow preparation of polymerized HIPE foams without salt in the aqueous phase. HIPE with the BO/EO surfactants have been prepared at room temperature and polymerized at temperatures exceeding 90°C. By minimizing the required amount of surfactant, allowing the surfactant to react during HIPE polymerizations, eliminating the need for salt, and stabilizing over a broad range of temperatures, BO/EO block copolymer surfactants have demonstrated their place as high‐performance HIPE surfactants.