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Light-induced reversible destabilization of responsive latex particles prepared via high solids content emulsion polymerization

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Abstract

Aqueous dispersions of polymer nanoparticles (latexes) are of high commercial importance — it can be desirable to reversibly destabilize such latexes, for example, to enable transport/storage without the significant weight fraction of the water. In the present work, we have employed ab initio emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate with industrially relevant high solids content using mixtures of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the photo-switchable cationic surfactant 2-(4-(4-butylphenyl)diazenylphenoxy)ethyltrimethylammonium bromide (C4AzoTAB). C4AzoTAB contains an azobenzene moiety that can undergo trans–cis isomerization triggered by UV light, the cis form being a less effective surfactant than the trans form. Rapid destabilization (sedimentation) could be achieved on exposure of the diluted latex to UV light using a continuous flow device, and subsequent redispersion was obtained on exposure to visible light, demonstrating reversibility of the process. The presence of the anionic SDS as well as judicious choice of the amphoteric initiator VA-057 play key roles in designing successful destabilization, with latex pH being of crucial importance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Thiago R. Guimarães, Rahimah Othman, Robert McKenzie & Per B. Zetterlund

  2. Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629), Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, Pessac, 33607, France

    Thiago R. Guimarães

  3. Faculty of Engineering & Chemical Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis, 02600, Malaysia

    Rahimah Othman

  4. New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan

    Yutaka Takahashi

  5. Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, 1–3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan

    Yukishige Kondo

Authors
  1. Thiago R. Guimarães
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  2. Rahimah Othman
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  3. Robert McKenzie
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  4. Yutaka Takahashi
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  5. Yukishige Kondo
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  6. Per B. Zetterlund
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Contributions

P.B.Z. and Y.K. came up with the initial concept, which was further developed by T.R.G. Experimental work was conducted by R.O. and R.M. under close supervision by T.R.G. Y.T. prepared the responsive surfactant. Manuscript writing was conducted by R.O., T.R.G., and P.B.Z. All authors contributed to data analysis and discussions throughout the project.

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Correspondence to Yukishige Kondo or Per B. Zetterlund.

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Guimarães, T.R., Othman, R., McKenzie, R. et al. Light-induced reversible destabilization of responsive latex particles prepared via high solids content emulsion polymerization. Colloid Polym Sci 301, 979–988 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-023-05105-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-023-05105-1

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