Polymerization of Styrene in Water-Alcohol-lonic Surfactant Solutions

Abstract

The stability regions of styrene and polystyrene W/O micro-emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate with pentanol or butyl cellosolve as cosurfactant were determined. The polystyrene microemulsions showed considerably smaller stability regions than the ones with the monomer. Hence, early phase separation (turbidity) was encountered in polymerizing styrene within the microemulsion region. The maximally permitted conversion percentage of styrene in the low-water region was directly related to the solubility of the polymer in the cosurfactant. The high solubility of polystyrene in butyl cellosolve gave better stability than the microemulsion containing pentanol, showing the microemulsion concept to be useful in order to prepare hydrocarbon polymers containing ionic compounds.