Polystyrene(1)/poly(butyl acrylate-methacrylic acid)(2) core-shell emulsion polymers. Part I. Synthesis and colloidal characterization

Polystyrene (PS) (1)/Poly(n-butyl acrylate (BA)-methacrylic acid (MAA)) (2) structured particle latexes were prepared by emulsion polymerization using monodisperse polystyrene latex seed (118 nm) and different BA/MAA ratios. Three main aspects have been investigated: i) the polymerization kinetics; ii) the particle morphology as a function of reaction time; iii) the distribution of MAA units between the water phase and the polymer particles.