Pickering-stabilized latexes with high silica incorporation and improved salt stability

Abstract

Some of the unsolved challenges in the synthesis and performance of Pickering-stabilized polymer dispersions (high solid content, coagulum-free, high incorporation of silica, and salt stability) are overcome by means of a miniemulsion process using surface-modified silica as a sole stabilizer. Coagulum-free, 50 wt% solid-content latexes with an incorporation of silica exceeding 90 wt% and with better salt tolerance than latexes stabilized with conventional emulsifiers (SLS, PVOH) are obtained by varying the type and concentration of silica. Miniemulsion polymerization using surface modified silica as Pickering stabilizer allows obtaining coagulum free high solids content polymer dispersions with an incorporation of silica exceeding 90 wt%. These dispersions present a better salt tolerance than latexes stabilized with conventional emulsifiers (SLS, PVOH). © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.