Microsuspension Polymerization of Styrene Using Cellulose Nanocrystals as Pickering Emulsifiers: On the Evolution of Latex Particles

We report a mechanistic study of the microsuspension polymerization of styrene stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in its native form as well as graft-modified with copolymers of styrene and N-3-(dimethylamino)propyl methacrylamide (DMAPMAm) or N,N-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA). Native CNCs and graft-modified CNCs were shown to form stable styrene emulsions with an average droplet diameter of 18-20 and 5-9 μm, respectively....