Synthesis of hydrocolloid through polymerization of styrene and N-vinyl acetamide by AIBN

The soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene with hydrophilic monomer, N-vinyl acetamide (NVA), using oil-soluble initiator was carried out to synthesize polymeric particles with good dispersion stability and improve the polymer yield. As a result, it was found that the polymer yield and dispersion stability were enhanced by the promotion of polymerization by the dissolved monomers and hydrogen bonding between NVA on the particle surface and water molecules in the bulk. Accordingly, this polymer colloid showed the nature of hydrocolloid by their hydration layers because its dispersion stability was kept even when the electrolytes were added to the system. In the conventional soap-free emulsion polymerization, the counter ions including the water-soluble initiators were remained in the water phase. However, because all of chemical components in the present study were consumed for the polymerization, the impurities except polymers were hardly remained in the bulk. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.