| Abstract: | Fundamental studies were carried out to modify the thermal properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based latices. General features of composite PVC-vinyl acetate (VAc) copolymer latices synthesized from the seed emulsion polymerization of acrylic monomers are reported, in particular, the observation of particle morphology and the measurements of minimum film formation temperature (MFT) and DSC spectra. Acrylic monomers used as modifiers were methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl methacrylate (BMA), methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA), n-butyl acrylate (nBA), and MMA-nBA 75:25,50:50 and 25:75 wt%. Styrene whose polymer is incompatible with PVC-VAc was used as a counterpart of compatible PMMA. Compatibility between seed and modifier polymer and the mode of operation, either batch (flooded and pre-swollen) or semi-batch (starved and no swelling), induced morphology differences, and consequently variations of thermal properties. |
