Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate with itaconic acid

The emulsion copolymerization of styrene with itaconic acid and butyl acrylate with itaconic acid (methylenesuccinic acid), initiated by a redox system in the presence of a nonionic emulsifier, was studied at 40°C. Examination of the influence of itaconic acid on the copolymerization with both monomers showed that the presence of itaconic acid had a negative influence on copolymerization conversion and on the rate of copolymerization. the reaction order with respect to itaconic acid is ?0,34 for the copolymerization of itaconic acid with styrene and ?1,40 for its copolymerization with butyl acrylate. In the case of the copolymerization with styrene, itaconic acid has no effect on particle number concentration and particle size. Itaconic acid participates in particle nucleation during its copolymerization with butyl acrylate. Formation of oligomeric radicals in the water phase led to a decreasing number of particles and to increasing particle size.