Toughened polystyrene nanoparticles through high-solids miniemulsion polymerization

• Synthesis of toughened nanoparticles through high solid miniemulsion polymerization.
• Toughened polystyrene with controlled microstructure and nanomorphology.
• The nanostructured toughened polystyrene exhibits improved mechanical properties.

Polystyrene nanoparticles toughened with polybutadiene were synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization of 50% solids content. The effects of recipes and reaction conditions on the polymerization kinetics, polymer microstructure, particle morphology, and mechanical properties of the produced thermoplastic materials, are discussed. The final material characteristics are strongly dependant on the chemical nature of the employed initiator, and an interpretation for the observed effects is presented. The obtained nanostructured polystyrenes exhibit mechanical properties similar to those of the commercial HIPS, but with the typical advantages of polymerizations in disperse medium such as low environmental impact, high monomer conversion, and fast heat transfer.