A Novel Composite Polymer Latex Technology

Abstract

The physical chemistry involved in the invention and development of a novel aqueous composite polymer latex technology at Dulux Australia is described. The polymerization process employed leads to a latex wherein each particle contains a blend of two or more copolymers. These particles are sterically stabilized by a new class of non-ionic reactive surfactant which results in excellent colloidal stability. A paint based on this technology has been commercialized in the coil coating industry. The particle size distribution of the latex used in this paint is studied before, during and after polymerization. The evidence obtained confirms that the desired composite polymer particles are formed by a suspension polymerization mechanism and that little or no polymer separation due to secondary nucleation (nucleation of polymer particles from the aqueous phase) takes place.