Abstract
Anionic oligosoap homologues (saponification products of alternating cooligomers of alkyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride or diethyl maleate) having different side alkyl chain lengths, repeating unit numbers (n) and saponification degrees were used as the emulsifiers for the emulsion polymerization of styrene, and the relationship between the chemical structure of oligosoaps and their contribution to the emulsion polymerization was studied. Oligosoaps having n of several tens and side alkyl chain lengths of C10 or higher than C10, enhanced the emulsion polymerization. The particle sizes of the latices formed were below 1000Å, and the latices showed on good dispersion stability and low foaming properties. The conditions of the solubilizing sites (hydrophobic domain) of the oligosoap homologues are discussed focusing on the relationship between the initial rates of emulsion polymerization and the ability to solubilize styrene.
