• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.96-105
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• 2005

Core-shell polymers of methyl methacrylate-styrene system were prepared by sequential emulsion polymerization in the presence of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS) as an emulsifier using ammonium persulfate(APS) in an initiator and the characteristics of these core-shell polymers were evaluated. Core-shell composite latex has the both properties of core and shell components in a particle, whereas polymer blends or copolymers show a combined physical properties of two homopolymers. This unique behavior of core-shell composite latex can be used in various industrial fields. However, in preparation of core-shell composite latex, several unexpected matters are observed, for examples, particle coagulation, low degree of polymerization, and formation of new particles during shell polymerization. To solve this matters, we study the effects of surfactant concentrations, initiator concentrations, and reaction temperature on the core-shell structure of PMMA-PSt and PSt-PMMA. Particle size and particles distribution were measured by using particle size analyzer, and the morphology of the core-shell composite latex was observed by using transmission electron microscope. Glass temperature was also measured by using differential scanning calorimeter. To identify the core-shell structure, pH of the composite latex solutions was measured.