Influence of emulgator nature on dispersity and stability of artificial polymer suspensions based on polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate

Abstract

Objectives. To create stable artificial polymer suspensions with a positive charge of particles based on polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate using cationic surfactants and organosilicon surfactants.Methods. The size of droplets and polymer suspension particles was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy (dynamic light scattering) using a Zetasizer NanoZS laser particle analyzer (Malvern, UK).Results. Domestic cationic surfactants Katamin-AB and Azol-129 were found to be capable of producing stable artificial polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate suspensions. Based on the polymer, the optimal surfactant concentration was 6 wt %. The effect of polymer concentration in solution on the stability and particle size of final polymer suspensions was shown. It was determined that the polymer concentration in the solution should not exceed 10%. When obtaining a highly dispersed suspension during dispersion, a higher concentration causes an increase in the viscosity of emulsions. As a result of a synergistic effect formation, we used mixtures of cationic surfactants (Katamin-AB/Azol-138 and Azol-129/Azol-138) to enhance the stability of the final polymer suspensions. The optimal surfactant ratio was 9:1. The total concentration of the mixture is 10 wt %, based on the polymer. Polymer suspensions were stabilized with each of 2:1 mixtures of cationic surfactants Katamin-AB and Azol-129 withan organosilicon surfactant U-851. The total mixture concentration was 9 wt %, based on the polymer.Conclusions. New methods of producing artificial polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate suspensions in the presence of domestically produced cationic surfactants, as well cationicorganosilicon surfactants mixtures, were proposed. The colloidal-chemical properties of the obtained polymer suspensions were considered. It was found that using a 2:1 mixture of cationic and organosilicon surfactants produces polymer suspensions that are stable during production and storage.