Production of nanoparticles of methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate copolymers by microemulsion polymerization in the presence of malefic acid terminated poly(N-acetylethylenimine) macromonomers as cosurfactant

In this study, MMA/BMA copolymer nanoparticles were synthesized in oil-in-water microemulsions that were stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and initiated by potassium persulphate KPS. Malefic acid terminated poly(N-acetylethylenimine) (PNAEI) with two different chain lengths was also included in the recipe, as a cosurfactant and a comonomer. FTIR and H-1-NMR proved incorporation of the macromonomer in the structure. High polymerization yields were achieved upto 98%. The viscosity average molecular weights of the copolymers were in the range of 2.77-5.50 x 10(5). The glass transition temperatures of these copolymers were between 50.0 and 63.9 degreesC. The average diameter of nanoparticles were in range of 40-96 nm. It was possible to produce nanoparticles smaller than 100 nm and with narrower size distributions by using much lower concentrations of SDS by including the macromonomers in the microemulsion polymerization recipe. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.