Film properties of monodispersed model composite latexes with particle size of 190 nm, which consist of n-butyl acrylate as a soft phase monomer and methyl methacrylate as a hard phase monomer with different morphology was examined. Five different types of model latexes were used in this study such as random copolymer particle, soft-core/hard-shell particle, hard-core/soft-shell particle, gradient type particle, and mixed type particle. Tensile strength and tensile elongation at break of final films were evaluated. Those properties can be interpreted in terms of PBA/PMMA phase ratio and their morphology. The interfacial adhesion strength was also evaluated using 180˚ peel strength measurement and cross hatch cutting test.

Film forming behavior of monodispersed model composite latexes with particle size of 190 nm, which consist of n-butyl acrylate as a soft phase monomer and methyl methacrylate as a hard phase monomer with different morphology was examined. Five different types of model latexes were used in this study such as random copolymer particle, soft-core/hard-shell particle, hard-core/soft-shell particle, gradient type particle, and mixed type particle. The film forming behavior was evaluated using pseudo on-line measurements of the cumulative weight loss, the UV transmittance, and the tensile fracture energy. Each stages of film formation I, II were not sensitive to the morphology of model latexes, but stage-ill was largely dependent on the morphology of model latexes. The chain mobility of polymer which composed the shell component was found to dominantly determine the behavior of film forming stage-III.

In this study, various model composite latexes were synthesized using n-butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate as comonomers by seeded multi-staged emulsion polymerization. Monodispersed model composite latex particles with size of 190 nm and polydispersity index of 1.05, which have various morphology including random copolymer particle, soft-core/hard-shell particle, hard-core/soft shell particle, and gradient-type copolymer particle, homopolymers particles were prepared. The designed morphology of model composite particles were confirmed.

As model waterborne acrylic coatings, mono-dispersed poly(butyl acrylate-methyl methacrylate) copolymer latexes of random copolymer and core/shell type graft copolymer were prepared by seeded multi-staged emulsion polymerization with particle size of 180~200 nm using semi-batch type process. Sodium lauryl sulfate and potassium persulfate were used as an emulsifier and an initiator, respectively. The effect of particle texture including core/shell phase ratio, glass transition temperature and crosslinking density, and film forming temperature on the film formation and final properties of film was investigated using SEM, AFM, and UV in this study. The film formation behavior of model latex was traced simultaneously by the weight loss measurement and by the change of tensile properties and UV transmittance during the entire course of film formation. It was found that the increased glass transition temperature and higher crosslinking degree of latex resulted in the delay of the onset of coalescence of particles by interdiffusion during film forming process. This can be explained qualitatively in terms of diffusion rate of polymer chains. However, the change of weight loss during film formation was insensitive to discern each film forming stages-I, II and III.