Preparation and characterization of multi‐layer core‐shell polysiloxane/PSt/PMMA latex

The purpose of this paper is to prepare a kind of novel multi‐layer core‐shell latex, and to evaluate the effect of the preparation methodology.

Core‐shell poly(siloxane)/polystyrene/polymethyl methacrylate (PSi/PSt/PMMA) latex particles were prepared by seeded‐emulsion polymerisation with three stages. The core of cured PSi was prepared with octamethyl cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) by co‐condensation. Using vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) as coupling agent, functional PSi particles with vinyl groups on surfaces were prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of VTEOS in core formation stage. Then, the functional PSi particles were used as seeds to copolymerise with styrene and methyl methacrylate sequentially in shell stage I and stage II to form PSi/PSt/PMMA latex particles.

FTIR, TEM, DSC and XPS showed that the PSi/PSt/PMMA latex particles had multi‐layer core‐shell structure with cured PSi as core, PSt as shell I and PMMA as shell II.

In the present work, PSi/PSt/PMMA latex particles having multi‐layer core‐shell structure with cured PSi as core, PSt as shell I and PMMA as shell II were prepared. This methodology can be employed to prepare new functional materials for various applications.

Multi‐layer core‐shell particles offer a new area of material science that has wide applications in coatings or modified polymer materials production.

The method developed in the study reported in this paper provides a new strategy to develop new types of core‐shell materials with multi‐layer structure.