Polymer blend latex films: Miscibility and polymer diffusion studied by energy transfer

Fluorescence non-radiative energy transfer experiments were used to study latex blend films composed of high molar mass poly(butyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (PBA-co-MMA) and much lower molar mass PBA-co-MMA latex of the same chemical composition (50:50 BA:MMA by weight). These blends take advantage of the strong chain length dependence of T_g so that the particles consisting of oligomeric polymer (“low-M”) have a much lower T_g than the corresponding high-M latex. This type of blend represents a useful strategy for obtaining latex coatings with a reduced VOC content. Here we report on experiments which follow the rate at which the low-M polymer mixes via diffusion with the high-M polymer in the latex films. The high-M latex are doubly labeled, containing both donor and acceptor dyes covalently bound to the PBA-co-MMA backbone. Diffusion of the unlabeled low-M polymer into this phase dilutes the dyes, increasing their separation and lowering the quantum efficiency for energy transfer.