A new method for the preparation of concentrated translucent polymer nanolatexes from emulsion polymerization

A novel method for the preparation of concentrated, colloidally stable, translucent polymer nanolatexes is presented. Herein nanolatexes are obtained from emulsion polymerization, utilizing the potential of catalytic chain transfer to enhance the particle nucleation efficiency. Low amounts of emulsifier are required (<8% w/w based on monomer) while the nanolatexes concentration can be increased to 40% w/w. The nanolatexes are translucent in appearance, which was correlated to the average particle size and width of the particle size distribution using Mie theory. Increasing the nanolatex concentration was found to have no deteriorating effect on either the optical or colloidal properties. Preparing translucent nanolatexes via this method is advantageous, as the amount of emulsifier is significantly reduced without sacrificing the optical transparency or the high interfacial surface area of the polymer colloids.