Polymer Emulsions Find Application in Paper and Pulp, Nonwovens & Textiles, Specialty Coatings, Construction, and Other Industries

 

Polymer emulsion is mostly a dispersion process of polymerized substances in water. In simple terms, it is a process where the dispersion or separation of a substance from other substance is achieved. In a normal latex rubber, water-soluble material tends to stick together. Polymer emulsions find application in industries such as paper, carpet, adhesives, nonwovens & textiles, specialty coatings, construction, graphics arts, and packaging.

The most common polymer emulsions in the U.S. are SBR, poly(styrene-co-n-butyl acrylate) copolymers, poly(vinyl acetate), poly(acrylates), and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) copolymers. Polymer emulsions may also contain a type of polymer known as n-type polymers. These types of polymers have a pendant structure. For example, n-type polymers have three pendants, each with a single pendant coming off in the process of polymerization. The most commonly used n-type polymers are butyl, ethyl, and propylene glycol. These polymer particles form a gel when mixed with water. As these gel particles are mixed with a liquid, they will form a liquid emulsion which can then be added to a fluid medium such as a millet.

Polymer emulsions offer several advantages over other emulsions, especially those that utilize silicone or PEG based compounds. The biggest advantage offered by polymerization is that it uses materials that do not include silica, instead including elements which are derived from recycled plastic bottles. This reuse allows polymerization to be more environmentally responsible, as plastics that would be rejected during other manufacturing processes, such as those made of glass, are instead recycled to make acrylic polymer emulsions. It is also important to note that polymers formed from recycled material such as plastic bottles often have contaminants that degrade the properties of the final product, such as acid, which leads to clogging. By using these emulsions, manufacturers are able to reduce the amount of contamination that would otherwise contaminate the finished product.