Synthesis and characterization of the fluorinated acrylic latex: Effect of fluorine-containing surfactant on properties of the latex film

Fluorinated acrylic latexes of methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), methacrylic acid (MAA), hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFMA) were synthesized by seed emulsion polymerization, and ammonium p-nonylphenol polyoxyethylene sulfate (CO-436), octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (OP-10), perfluoroalkylpolyethers (Le-180s, R_fCH₂CH₂O(CH₂CH₂O) _nH, R_f = F(CF₂CF₂)₄, M_n = 700) as well as C₈F₁₇SO₃K (Le-003) were used as surfactants. One non-fluorinated (CO-436/OP-10) and two fluorinated (CO-436/OP-10/Le-180s, CO-436/OP-10/Le-180s/Le-003) surfactant systems were employed in this experiment. Effect of three surfactant systems on properties of the fluorinated acrylate latexes was investigated. Chemical composition and morphology of the copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ¹⁹F NMR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The root-mean-square roughness of the latex film was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) which revealed that the roughness was increased after employment of the fluorine-containing surfactants. TG and DSC analyse indicated that the polymer prepared in the presence of fluorine-containing surfactant had preferable thermal stability and high glass transition temperature. The average particle size of the latex prepared in the presence of fluorinated surfactant system was uniform and the particle distribution was narrow. Water hydrophobicity, dilution, refrigeration as well as Ca²⁺ stabilities were also investigated.