Aqueous poly(vinyl acetate)-based core/shell emulsion: synthesis, morphology, properties and application

Core/shell structured composite emulsions have become an increasingly important interdisciplinary research field and deserve more attention because of their wide and potential applications in modern and advanced materials. The development of reliable synthetic and controlling approaches to composite emulsion with well-designed morphology, composition and functionality is of scientific importance and technological interest. The generation of poly(vinyl acetate)-based core/shell emulsion with phase separation can be achieved through seeded emulsion polymerisation, as well as multi-stage emulsion polymerisation. Insights on the fabrication of poly(vinyl acetate)-based core/shell latex particles with well-defined morphology and architecture have been substantially developed by recent advances in the morphological control mechanism of thermodynamics and kinetics. The factors affecting the formation of poly(vinyl acetate)-based core/shell emulsion, including polymerisation conditions, type and nature of monomer and initiator as well as grafting structure, are discussed. Finally, the properties of the poly(vinyl acetate)-based core/shell emulsion in mechanical, film-forming and adhesive performance, and its applications and potential functionalities are also briefly described.