Types of Interfacial Polymerization

Fig. 4. Schematic diagrams that illustrate the different types of interfacial polymerization reactions used to form microcapsules. Reactants X, Y polymerization product (X — Y)—n or —(X—See text for descriptions of cases (a)—(e).

The whole set of experiments described in this paper provides evidence that the polymer chemist is able to improve significantly any type of multiphase polymeric systems that suffer from a poor interfacial adhesion. Today, two strategies are available either diblock copolymers of an... 

Polymerization plays a key role in chemical microencapsulation. The basic mechanism of this method is to put a polymer wall (can be multilayer) through polymerization on a core material, which is in a form of small liquid droplets, solid particles, or even gas bubbles or to embed the core material in a polymer matrix through polymerization. Interfacial polymerization is one of the most important methods that have been extensively developed and industrialized for microencapsulation. According to Thies and Salaun, interfacial polymerization includes live types of processes represented by the methods of emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, dispersion polymerization, interfacial polycondensation/polyaddition, and in situ polymerization. This chapter is only focnsed on interfacial polycondensation and polyaddition in a narrow sense of interfacial polymerization. 

There are different types of encapsulation processes [25], for example complex coacervation, polymer-polymer incompatibility, interfacial polymerization and in situ polymerization, and each certainly has its different process challenges which might need to be addressed. The following discussion focuses on the topic of interfacial polymerization. 

Interfacial Polymerization. Many types of polymerization reactions can be made to occur at interfaces or produce polymers that concentrate at interfaces thereby producing microcapsules. Accordingly, this approach to encapsulation has steadily developed into a versatile family of encapsulation processes. Figure 4 schematically illustrates five types of encapsulation processes that utilize these types of reactions. 

Several components of the organic phase contribute greatly to the character of the final product. The pore size of the gel is chiefly determined by the amount and type of the nonsolvent used. Dodecane, dodecanol, isoamyl alcohol, and odorless paint thinner have all been used successfully as nonsolvents for the polymerization of a GPC/SEC gel. Surfactants are also very important because they balance the surface tension and interfacial tension of the monomer droplets. They allow the initiator molecules to diffuse in and out of the droplets. For this reason a small amount of surfactant is crucial. Normally the amount of surfactant in the formula should be from 0.1 to 1.0 weight percent of the monomers, as large amounts tend to emulsify and produce particles less than 1 yam in size. 

The pore size distributions of the molded monoliths are quite different from those observed for classical macroporous beads. An example of pore size distribution curves is shown in Fig. 3. An extensive study of the types of pores obtained during polymerization both in suspension and in an unstirred mold has revealed that, in contrast to common wisdom, there are some important differences between the suspension polymerization used for the preparation of beads and the bulk-like polymerization process utilized for the preparation of molded monoliths. In the case of polymerization in an unstirred mold the most important differences are the lack of interfacial tension between the aqueous and organic phases, and the absence of dynamic forces that are typical of stirred dispersions [60]. 

Phase separation controlled by diffusion exchange often results in a skin which is composed of a micellar assembly of nodules, as will be discussed below. When extremely hydrophobic polymers (e.g., modifled-PPO) are cast from dioxane into water (pg = p = p ) a dense polymer layer is formed at the solution s interface that somewhat resembles the type of layer formed by Interfacial polymerization. There is almost no inward contraction of the interfacial skin, and the coagulation process is controlled by diffusion through the dense, interfacial thin film. These result in an anisotropic membrane with a very fine "coral" structure (Figures 9 and 10). 

In a similar way as has been described for syntheses of type al, the majority of examples of type b involve polycondensation of a,ea bifunctional, small molecule reaction partners. Some examples are the reaction of AIBN or AIBN derivatives with 1,4-cyclohexane bismethyl diamine78), 1,2-ethylene diamine78), 1,6-hexamethylene diamine 78-80 , bisphenol A 78,81 and mono-, di- and tetraethylene glycol 55-64 . In almost all case using the AIBN derivative 4,4 -azobis(4-cyano valeryl chloride), an interfacial polymerization was employed. These polymeric azo compounds could be used as initiators for radical block copolymerizations. 

Membranes made by the Loeb-Sourirajan process consist of a single membrane material, but the porosity and pore size change in different layers of the membrane. Anisotropic membranes made by other techniques and used on a large scale often consist of layers of different materials which serve different functions. Important examples are membranes made by the interfacial polymerization process discovered by Cadotte [15] and the solution-coating processes developed by Ward [16], Francis [17] and Riley [18], The following sections cover four types of anisotropic membranes ... 

Interfacial polymerization membranes. This type of anisotropic membrane is made by polymerizing an extremely thin layer of polymer at the surface of a microporous support polymer. 

Step-growth polymerization, 22, 24-25, 23, 84-86, 86,90-92,114-115, 261 compared with chain-growth polymerization, 88-89, 88-89 interfacial polymerization, 91-92 laboratory activities on synthesis of nylon, 228-230 synthesis of polyesters in the melt, 231-233 synthesis of polyurethane foam, 234-237 molar mass and, 86, 86 polycondensation of poly ethylene terephthalate), 90-91 polymers produced by, 86 types of monomers for, 90 Stereochemistry, 28, 37-39,41-42, 70 tacticity, 103-105 Stereoisomers, 41 Stereoregularity, 70 Stiffness, 142, 261 Strain, 142-143, 261 Strength... 

Krauel, K., Davies, N. M., Hook, S., and Rades,T. (2005), Using different structure types of microemulsions for the preparation of poly(alkylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles by interfacial polymerization, J. Controlled Release, 106(1-2), 76-87. 

There are various types of multiphase processes that are widely used in the mass production of polymers. The two phases can both be liquids, as in suspension and emulsion polymerization, or can be a gas/solid, gas/melt (liquid) or liquid/solid system. In the interfacial polymerization of nylon 6,6, for example, the two monomers are initially dissolved in different solvents, hexameth-... 

Two types of microencapsulation are known in the art based upon the shellwall forming chemistry. These are interfacial polymerization and in-situ polymerization. Encapsulating plastic shellwalls are synthesized at the 0/W (Oil-in-Water) interface of a pesticide emulsion by reacting oil-soluble monomers dissolved in the pesticide with water-soluble monomers added to the emulsion. This process is referred to as interfacial polymerization. 

A third type of emulsion process is the so-called microemulsion [123]. In microemulsions, the polymerization starts in droplets as well. However, these are thermodynamically stable and, in contrast to miniemulsions, they form spontaneously by gentle stirring. They consist of large amounts of surfactants or mixtures of them, and they possess an interfacial tension close to zero at the water/oil interface, with droplet sizes usually ranging between 5 and 50 nm. In... 

Makino et al. [63] measured the electrophoretic mobility of four types M1-M4 of hydrophilic gel microcapsules containing water prepared by an interfacial polymerization method. Each type of microcapsules has membranes of different compositions. The results of the analysis of the measured mobilitiy values on the basis of Eqs. (21.128) are given in Figs 21.10 and 21.11. 

---