Basic principles of emulsion polymerisation

The contemporary physical picture of emulsion polymerisation is based on the qualitative picture of Harkins (1947) and the quantitative treatment of Smith and Ewart (1948), with more recent contributions by Gilbert and Napper (1974), Blackley (1975), Ugelstad and Hansen (1976), Gardon (1977) and Gilbert (1995) (see also Chapter 1). 

The main components of an emulsion polymerisation are the monomer(s), the dispersing medium (usually water), surfactant (either added or formed in situ) and initiator. 

It is important to realise that the same basic free-radical polymerisation mechanisms operate in solution, bulk and emulsion polymerisations. The kinetic relations in Chapter 2 are therefore valid in an emulsion polymerisation. The differences commence with the actual concentrations of the various species at the locus of polymerisation. Instead of using the overall concentration of the monomer and radicals in the reactor, based on the volume 

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