Preparation of latex nanoparticles using nanoemulsions obtained by the phase inversion composition (PIC) method and their application in textile printing

• Generation of latex nanoparticles of 30–110 nm size by polymerization in nanoemulsions obtained by phase inversion composition method.
• The obtained latex nanoparticles were applied as binders for textile inkjet printing.
• They yielded satisfying printing properties in terms of softness, rubbing fastness and color strength.

The low energy phase inversion composition (PIC) method was used for the formation of monomer based nanoemulsions from a system composed of monomer/Brij78/water. These nanoemulsions were used as templates for generating polymer and copolymer nanoparticles. Styrene was used as monomer for studying the phase diagram, where parameters such as the O/S ratio and water addition rate influence the formation of the nanoemulsion and the structure of the final polymer particles. Hexadecane was added to the oil phase in order to achieve stability against Oswald ripening. Nanoemulsions with a fixed water content of 80 wt% and O/S ratios from 0.25 to 9 generated polymer particles with diameters between 30 and 110 nm as determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The polydispersity of the polymer nanoparticles was found to depend on the O/S ratio. Different copolymer latexes based on styrene, butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate were prepared with a fixed O/S ratio 9 and water content 80% and applied successfully as binders for the inkjet printing of cotton fabrics and compared to corresponding copolymer latexes prepared by the high energy methods or the conventional methods.

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