Synthesis and characterization of water-based emulsion polymers used for lamination process

Water based poly(vinyl acetate-co-butyl acrylate) latexes were synthesized by applying semi-batch emulsion polymerization to search their using for lamination purposes. Copolymerizations were carried out keeping constant monomer ratio as 85:15 for vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate, in the presence of oligomeric N-methylol acrylamide or poly(vinyl alcohol) as protective colloids, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate as anionic emulsifier and 10, 30 or 40 moles etoxylated nonyl phenols as nonionic emulsifiers, which were used in different percentage into total emulsifier mixture, and in each percentage ammonium persulfate or potassium persulfate was used as thermal initiator at 70 0C.The colloidal properties of copolymer latexes and their film properties were characterized total solid content and conversion by gravimetric method, original latex viscosities by Brookfield viscometer, average particle sizes of copolymer latexes by Zetasizer, surface tension to the air by du Nouy tensiometer, glass transition temperatures by differential scanning calorimeter, UV absorbans by spectrophotometer, contact angles of water-polymer films by goniometer, water resistance of the films by loss of weight.