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Acrylic Polymer Medium: Methyl Methacrylate Emulsified by Persulfate Alone
Acrylic polymer medium is an emulsion of acrylic polymer in water, the binder of acrylic paint. ICI's Renfrew and Gates (US 2,296,403, 1942) found that a persulfate alone both keeps the monomer dispersed and starts it polymerising, so no soap is needed. Their Example 2 stirs 30 parts methyl methacrylate and 20 parts dibutyl phthalate (a plasticiser) hard in 100 parts water with 1 part persulfate at about 80 °C; the batch heats itself to 90-95 °C and gives a very stable emulsion. Using it as paint medium is our choice.
The picture: our diagram.
Intermediate
Half a day
Instructions
1
1
Weigh the charge
Weigh the charge
Weigh 30 parts methyl methacrylate, 20 parts dibutyl phthalate, 100 parts water and 1 part persulfate (ours: potassium persulfate; the example used lithium persulfate, and the patent names potassium among the alternatives).
Materials for this step:
Methyl Methacrylate30 parts
Dibutyl Phthalate20 parts
Water100 parts
Persulfate Initiator1 partTools needed:
Balance Scale
Chemical Splash Goggles
Rubber Gloves2
2
Stir hard at about 80 °C
Stir hard at about 80 °C
Put everything in a flask with a reflux condenser and stir very vigorously at about 80 °C, where it refluxes gently.
Tools needed:
Round-Bottom Flask
Reflux Condenser
Stirrer
Water Bath
Hot Plate
Thermometer - Lab
Fume Hood (Ducted)3
3
Let it heat itself
Let it heat itself
After about half an hour the polymerisation starts giving off heat and the temperature climbs to 90-95 °C on its own. Keep stirring.
Tools needed:
StirrerThermometer - Lab4
4
Cool
Cool
When the temperature starts to fall, the polymerisation is complete. Stop stirring and let it cool. The result is a very stable emulsion.
Tools needed:
Thermometer - LabMaterials
4- 30 partsPlaceholder
- 20 partsPlaceholder
- 100 partsPlaceholder
- 1 partPlaceholder
Tools Required
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