On-line control of the particle morphology of composite polymer-polymer waterborne dispersions

Abstract Particle morphology of composite polymer latexes evolves continuously throughout the polymerization process and plays an important role in the practical application of emulsion polymers. Therefore, developing on-line control strategies to control particle morphology is a long-term goal in industry that can guarantee the consistent production of latexes with the desired properties for their final application. In this article, the development of an on-line control strategy for particle morphology of polymer-polymer composite latex particles was investigated. The control strategy was based on the idea that the evolution of the morphology depends on the viscosity of the particles (that in turn depends on the monomer concentration in the particles) and the time available for cluster migration (that depends on the polymerization rate). The monomer conversion and the polymerization rate were monitored by reaction calorimetry. The robustness of the developed control strategy in the presence of disturbances during the process is assessed and the limits of the attainable particle morphology were explored.