A pulse radiolysis study of emulsion polymerization

The emulsion polymerisation of slightly water soluble monomers such as styrene occurs initially in micelles of surfactant swollen with monomer and later in larger particles consisting of polymer swollen with monomer and stabilized with an outer layer of surfactant. There is considerable controversy on whether the reaction sites of polymerization are inside or on the surface of the particle or micelle. The relative amounts of micelle and particles present at various stages of the polymerization are also nuclear. In the present study the OH radical formed by pulse radiolysis has been used as a probe to investigate the site of solubilization of styrene in various surfactant micelles. Two products can be distinguished by UV spectrometry, a benzyl type radical formed by OH addition to the side chain of styrene and a cyclohexadienyl type radical formed by addition to the ring. Wide differences in the relative amounts of each product were observed suggesting that in some surfactants the styrene ring is buried inside the micelle whilst in other systems the styrene appears to be so solubilized at the interface leaving both the ring and the side chain open to attack by the OH radical. (author)