Seeded emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate

Abstract

Abstract The emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate initiated by ammonium peroxodisulfate in the presence of poly(ethyl acrylate) seed particles was kinetically investigated. The dependence of the final particle number on the initiator concentration deviates from the predictions of emulsion polymerization. The rate of polymerization decreases with increasing monomer concentration. The polymerization behaviour was explained by the polymerization in both the monomer‐swollen emulsifier micelles and the monomer‐swollen polymer particles.