Block-random copolymers as stabilizers in emulsion polymerization

水性涂料、密封剂、油漆和粘合剂是溶剂型产品的环保替代品，毒性较低，对环境的有害排放较少，并降低了人类接触有害蒸汽的风险。尽管与溶剂型产品相比具有显著优势，但水基胶乳并非没有问题。问题之一是“表面活性剂”或“稳定剂”（产品的基本组分，其在确保胶乳作为悬浮在水中的离散颗粒存在方面起关键作用）从胶乳中迁移出来的趋势。例如，如果产品是外部涂料，则表面活性剂可能最终进入环境中，或者如果产品是例如产品标签上的粘合剂，则其可能导致人体暴露。巴斯夫是一家在加拿大拥有重要制造业务的全球性公司，目前正在与皇后大学合作开发一种新型稳定剂，旨在克服现有稳定剂材料的不足。这项研究的关键是设计出比传统表面活性剂或肥皂大得多的特殊分子;分子的一端将牢固地粘附在颗粒上，从而防止它们迁移到环境中。与此同时，分子或聚合物链的另一端必须满足一系列苛刻的性能，以确保产品可以安全经济地制造。女王大学和巴斯夫的研究人员设计了一种满足这些要求的新型结构，现在将寻求更好地了解它们的基本行为和特性。我们的研究将帮助加拿大工业应对新产品创新的挑战，开发新的创新产品，减少对环境的影响，并为他们提供训练有素的科学家，保持国际竞争力所需的技能。

Water-based coatings, sealants, paints and adhesives are environmentally friendly alternatives to solvent-based products, with lower toxicity, fewer harmful emissions to the environment and reduced risk to humans by exposure to harmful vapors. Despite their significant advantages compared to solvent-based products, water-based latexes are not without their concerns. One of the issues is the tendency for the "surfactant" or "stabilizer" (an essential component of the product that plays a critical role in ensuring the latexes exist as discrete particles suspended in water) to migrate out of the latex. The surfactant can end up in the environment if for example the product is an exterior paint, or it could result in human exposure if the product is for example an adhesive on produce labels. BASF, a global company with significant manufacturing operations in Canada is collaborating with Queen's University to develop a new type of stabilizer with the objective of overcoming deficiencies of existing stabilizer materials. The key to this research is the design of specially designed molecules that are much larger than traditional surfactants or soaps; one end of the molecule will strongly adhere to the particles, thereby preventing their migration to the environment. At the same time, the other end of the molecule or polymer chain, will have to fulfill a demanding set of properties to ensure the product can be manufactured safely and economically. Queen's and BASF researchers have designed a novel structure that meets these requirements, and will now seek to better understand their fundamental behaviour and properties. Our research will help Canadian industry address challenges in new product innovation, develop new innovative products with reduced environmental impact, and provide them with highly trained scientists with the skills required to remain internationally competitive.