Skip to main content
Log in

The nucleation study on the cationic miniemulsion polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4)

Colloid and Polymer Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The nucleation of the cationic miniemulsion polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) has been investigated in detail in this work. The particle size was traced by dynamic laser scattering in the polymerization process using different concentration of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) as both the initiator and surfactant. The results reveal the progressively decreasing particle sizes with the steadily increasing monomer conversion. The descending particle sizes can be explained by the existence of homogeneous nucleation of hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) oligomers in addition to the primary droplet nucleation. A linear relationship between the natural logarithm of the average particle diameter (lnd(t)) and the natural logarithm of the monomer conversion (lnf(t)) is then deduced based on the theory, which has been validated by the experimental data. The slope of lnd(t)~lnf(t) line relies on the parameter of K which is the ratio of PDMS oligomers entering water phase to all PDMS oligomers produced. The influence of DBSA concentration on the K and the fraction of homogeneous nucleation (F(H)) has been then obtained. Both of the values of K and F(H) increase with the increasing DBSA concentrations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Scheme 1
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Reference

  1. Landfester K (2009) Miniemulsion polymerization and the structure of polymer and hybrid nanoparticles. Angew Chem Int Ed 48:4488–4507. doi:10.1002/anie.200900723

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ouzineb K, Graillat C, McKenna TF (2005) High-solid-content emulsions. V. Applications of miniemulsions to high solids and viscosity control. J Appl Poly Sci 97:745–752. doi:10.1002/app.21197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Tang EJ, Dong SY (2009) Preparation of styrene polymer/ZnO nanocomposite latex via miniemulsion polymerization and its antibacterial property. Colloid Polym Sci 287:1025–1032

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Schork FJ, Luo YW, Smulders W et al (2005) Miniemulsion polymerization. Adv Polym Sci 175:129–255. doi:10.1007/b100115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Asua JM (2002) Miniemulsion polymerization. Prog Polym Sci 27:1283–1346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gunzbourg DA, Favier JC, Hémery P (1994) Anionic polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in aqueous emulsion I: preliminary results and kinetic study. Polym Intern 35:179–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Barrère M, Ganachaud F, Bendejacq D, Dourges MA, Maitre C, Hémery P (2001) Anionic polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in miniemulsion II. Molar mass analyses and mechanism scheme. Polymer 42:7239–7246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lin M, Chu F, Lami BE, Guyot A (2004) Particle size in emulsion polymerization of octamethyltetrasiloxane. J Dispers Sci Tech 25:827–835. doi:10.1081/DIS-200035676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Palaprat G, Ganachaud F, Mauzac M, Hémery P (2005) Cationic polymerization of 2,4,6,8-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane processed by tuning the pH of the miniemulsion. Polymer 46:11213–11218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Barrère M, Maitre C, Dourges MA, Hémery P (2001) Anionic polymerization of 1,3,5-tris(trifluoropropylmethyl)cyclotrisiloxane(F3) in miniemulsion. Macromolecules 34:7276–7280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jiang SJ, Qiu T, Li XY (2010) Kinetic study on the ring-opening polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) in miniemulsion. Polymer 51:4087–4094

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Cao ZH, Shan GR, Fevotte G et al (2008) Miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane: kinetics and mechanism. Macromolecules 41:5166–5173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ouzineb K, Graillat C, Mckenna T (2004) Continuous tubular reactors for latex production: conventional emulsion and miniemulsion polymerizations. J Appl Polyer Sci 91:2195–2207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kozempel S, Tauer K, Rother G (2005) Aqueous heterophase polymerization of styrene—a study by means of multi-angle laser light scattering. Polymer 46:1169–1179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Dreher WR, Jarrett WL, Urban MW (2005) Stable nonspherical fluorine-containing colloidal dispersions: synthesis and film formation. Macromolecules 38:2205–2212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Jalbert C, Koberstein JT, Yilgor I, Gallagher P, Krukonis V (1993) Molecular weight dependence and end-group effects on the surface tension of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Macromolecules 26:3069–3074

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The financial support from NSFC (50703002) is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Teng Qiu or Xiaoyu Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jiang, S., Qiu, T., He, L. et al. The nucleation study on the cationic miniemulsion polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4). Colloid Polym Sci 291, 1135–1142 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2841-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2841-5

Keywords

Navigation