Synthesis and characterization of acrylic latex: Effects of fluorine and silicon components on properties of the latex copolymers

A series of silicon-containing acrylic copolymers, fluorine-containing acrylic copolymers with two kinds of fluorinated acrylic monomers, as well as fluorosilicone acrylic copolymers were synthesized via seeded emulsion polymerization. Effects of fluorine and silicon components on properties of the copolymers were studied. Chemical structure of the copolymers was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR) and ¹⁹F NMR. Glass transition temperature (T_g) of the copolymers was tested via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Molecular weight distribution of the copolymers was investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Morphology and particle size distribution of the copolymer latexes were investigated by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and particle size distribution analysis, respectively. Thermostability of the copolymers was explored by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Hydrophobicity of the copolymer films was studied by the water contact angle data measured via sessile-drop method. Surface feature was investigated by atomic force microscope (AFM). The results showed that fluorine and/or silicon components which were incorporated chemically within the copolymers had little influence on the particle size and morphology of the latexes. The silicon component contributed better heat resistance, while the fluorine component contributed better hydrophobicity to the copolymers. The synergic effect of the two components resulted in a rough surface. The existence of both fluorine and silicon components, as well as the surface roughness, gave rise to a more hydrophobic film.