Influence of polymeric non-ionic surfactants on the surface tension of styrene and on the styrene polymerization process

Dynamic surface tension of non-ionic surfactants pluronic F-168 and poly(dimethylsiloxan) bis(hydroxyalkyl) terminated (PDS) were studied using the drop profile analysis tensiometry. The comparison of these data with those from styrene heterophase polymerization studies show that only in the PDS:pluronic mixing ratio range between 1:0.2 and 1:0.8 the contribution of each surfactant component manifests its effect and provides appropriate conditions for the synthesis of polymer particles with required properties.