Claims
- 1. A method of serially preparing a monodisperse latex comprising the steps of making a first monodisperse latex having an average particle size of at least 2-30 microns, by polymerizing a mixture of:
- (A) about 2-30 parts by weight of a monodisperse seed latex polymer of particle size on the order of 2 microns or less;
- (B) about 10-50 parts by weight of a polymerizable, non-crosslinking monomer,
- (C) 0 to about 0.1 parts by weight of a crosslinking monomer,
- (D) about 0.01-0.2 parts by weight of an initiator,
- (E) about 0.001 to 0.1 parts by weight of at least one inhibitor.
- (F) an emulsifier component comprising:
- (i) about 0.05-20 parts by weight of a first water-soluble polymeric emulsifier of molecular weight of about 10.sup.4 -10.sup.7,
- (ii) 0 to about 0.05 parts by weight of a second water-soluble comonomeric or polymeric emulsifier of molecular weight of about 0.3.times.10.sup.3 -5.times.10.sup.3, and
- (iii) 0 to about 0.01 parts by weight of a non-polymeric anionic emulsifier, and
- (G) the balance being water, to make 100 parts by weight of total mixture,
- and
- (1) admixing said first monidisperse latex in an amount of about 2-30 parts by weight thereof on a polymer solids basis, as a seed latex with ingredients (B) through (G) and in the amounts thereof to form a second mixture;
- (2) polymerizing said second mixture to produce a second latex product of larger particle size than said first monodisperse latex; and
- (3) repeating said steps (1) and (2 ) utilizing as the seed latex in step (1) of each successive polymerization, the larger particle size latex product produced by the immediately preceding polymerization of step (2), until a latex of a desired particle size is obtained.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the polymerization of Steps (1) or (2) are conducted in a microgravity environment.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 682,181, filed Dec. 17, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,162.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0920867 |
Mar 1963 |
GBX |
1339182 |
Nov 1973 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
682181 |
Dec 1984 |
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