Recent advances in the synthesis of nanoparticles of polymer latexes with high polymer-to-surfactant ratios by microemulsion polymerization

This article summarizes the recent advances made in the synthesis of nanoparticles of polymer latexes with high ratios of polymer to surfactant by microemulsion polymerization, particularly in the last 10 years. One emerging theme is the increasing use of semi-continuous microemulsion polymerization to prepare a wide range of nanoparticles of polymer latexes with polymer / surfactant ratios larger than 10 and particle sizes ranging from 20 to 80 nm in diameters, among which, the pioneering work was polymerization in Winsor I-like systems (monomer in equilibrium with o / w microemulsion). Based on a similar principle, microemulsion polymerization by either drop-wise addition (at specified points or continuously) or hollow-fiber feeding of monomer was developed.