Preparation and surface properties of latexes with fluorine enriched in the shell by silicon monomer crosslinking

• Published in: European polymer journal 2007-05, Vol.43 (5), p.2117-2126
• Main Authors: Xiong, Ping ting, Lu, De ping, Chen, Pei zhi, Huang, Hong zhi, Guan, Rong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrylic latex; Applied sciences; Copolymerization; Core–shell; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorine; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Silicon; Surface properties
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2006.12.040

A series of core–shell acrylic copolymer latexes containing fluorine enriched in the shell have been prepared by emulsion polymerization of a variety of hydrocarbon monomers with (perfluoroalkyl)methyl methacrylate and vinyltriethoxysilicone. In the presence of a reactive anionic and a long chain anionic–nonionic emulsifier, the core–shell latexes were prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). From AFM and contact angle measurements, it was observed that the resulting fluorine and silicon-containing acrylic copolymers with surface energy as low as 15.5 mN/m formed a dense and gradient film containing a surface layer with high a fluorine content, and that the fluorinated particles can be fixed on the surface due to the crosslinking reaction of multi-functional silicon monomer even though the fluorinated carbon number was not enough to crystallize.