Styrene and methylmethacrylate oil-in-water microemulsions

Abstract

A simple procedure for the preparation of styrene-in-water and methylmethacrylate (o/w) micro-emulsions was established. This consisted of the preparation of a w/o emulsion using a low HLB number surfactant (Synperonic NP4, nonyl phenyl with 4 mol ethylene oxide) and a small amount of an anionic surfactant (Aerosol OT, diethyl hexyl sulphosuccinate, or sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate). The w/o emulsion was then titrated with an aqueous solution of a high HLB number surfactant (Synperonic NP15, nonyl phenyl with 15 mol ethylene oxide). The droplet size and polydispersity were determined using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). The temperature range within which a microemulsion remained stable decreased with increase in the concentration of styrene or methylmethacrylate and this could be explained in terms of the phase diagram of the microemulsion system. Conductivity measurements as a function of temperature showed that the systems are oil-in-water microemulsions.