Synthesis and surface properties of PDMS–acrylate emulsion with gemini surfactant as co-emulsifier

Composite latex particles of acrylate and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with high PDMS content was prepared by emulsion copolymerization and characterized by particle size analyzer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). With gemini surfactant as the co-emulsifier in the system, the PDMS content in the system reached 50%, which was far higher than the other reported values. Through the characterization of the particle size analyzer, the particle size augmented with the increase of the amount of PDMS, which could be said that the polysiloxane had participated into the reaction and had been introduced into the colloid particle. The results of FTIR indicated that almost all the monomer had been exhausted in the reaction because there was no C=C and D4 characteristic peaks in the spectrum. Besides the surface properties also were measured by surface tension analysis, water absorption, and the static contact angle, it could be found that with the increase of polysiloxane content, the excellent properties acquired by PDMS were clearly revealed by the findings, such as the decrease of surface tension and water absorption, and the increase of static contact angle. All the measurements were consistent with the conclusion that the composite latex particles of polysiloxane and acrylate with high siloxane content had been prepared successfully.