Glycine derived polymerizable cosurfactant in the synthesis of functionalized poly(butyl acrylate) nanolatexes

The approach of employing N-glycinylmaleamic acid (NGMA) as an efficient cosurfactant to provide microemulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate using a weight ratio of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/butyl acrylate (BA) at <= 1.5, which is lower than that employed in previous experiments, has been demonstrated. The narrow polydispersity index at 1.36-1.48 of poly(butyl acrylate) copolymers from investigated microemulsion polymerization reactions evidences the promotion of a controlled polymerization reaction, in contrast to the solution polymerization method generating polymers with higher polydispersity index at 3.15-4.23. The enhanced incorporation of NGMA at similar to 0.35 m in the copolymer demonstrates the merits of the proximity effect enabled in the microemulsion polymerization reaction. The incorporation of NGMA promotes rigidity of the polymer chain as suggested by a higher T-g of -16.8 degrees C for the copolymer in comparison to that of the poly(butyl acrylate) homopolymer.