Suspension polymerisation of methyl methacrylate: the use of polyelectrolyte stabilisers

The suspension polymerisation of methyl methacrylate (MMA), using polyelectrolyte solutions, sodium polymethacrylate (PMA–Na) and ammonium polymethacrylate (APMA) as suspending agents (stabilisers) was experimentally investigated in this project. The topics examined were: the rheological behaviour of the aqueous polyelectrolyte solutions; the factors that affect drop and particle sizes, dispersion and stabilisation mechanism; and the factors that affect the critical conversion where the onset of the gel effect occurs. The main advantage of using PMA–Na and APMA as stabilisers for the suspension polymerisation is that these stabilisers are not grafted on to the polymer beads' surface, and they are easily washed off and removed after the polymerisation. [Continues.]