Cryo-SEM Study of Nanostructure Development of latex dispersions and block copolymer solutions

Abstract

High resolution cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was used to study the physics of latex film formation. Fast freezing, controlled freeze-drying and annealing under vacuum, followed by room-temperature and cryogenic SEM demonstrated that van der Waals force alone can compact a latex coating under conditions devoid of surface tension and capillary forces. Rewetting tests of the annealed coatings shed light on distinguishing elastic and viscoelastic deformation. Key factors affecting the freeze-thaw (F/T) stability of polymer latexes were studied. The nanostructural changes during freeze-thaw cycles were visualized by cryo-SEM. Reducing Tg and modulus of the polymer, latex particle size, amount of protective functional groups, molecular weight and addition of coalescent all lead to reduced F/T stability. Both the freezing and thawing rates have strong impact on F/T stability. Both functional acid monomer type and degree of neutralization in pre-emulsion greatly influence the ability of the latex and titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles to interact with each other which prevents TiO2 particle aggregation. Latexes incorporated with vinylphosphonic or itaconic acid show better TiO2 efficiency than latexes with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. For acid monomers with high water solubility, higher degree of neutralization in pre-emulsion yields in general lower TiO2 efficiency. Cryo-SEM was employed to further understand the nature of nanostructure deduced by small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) for poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) diblock copolymers solutions, as a function of copolymer concentration and block copolymer composition. The SAXS measurements and cryo-SEM images reveal a new type of network morphology, comprised of a random arrangement of interconnected cylinders, in addition to the other classical structures.