Abstract:In this research, the cationic polyacrylate copolymer emulsion used as surface sizing agent was prepared via semi-continuous seed emulsion polymerization, using cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC) and OP-10 as emulsifier, methyl methacrylate(MMA), butyl acrylate(BA), cationic monomer-methacryloyloxy ethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride(DMC)and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) as monomers, and by azobis isobutyl amidinehydrochloride(AIBA) as initiator. The structure and thermal decomposition behavior of the copolymers were tested by FT-IR and DSC respectively, the particle size and their distribution, the morphology of the emulsion were tested by Malvern Nano-sizer and TEM. The surface morphologies of the papers without and with surface sizing agent, were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the water resistant property of the sized paper was characterized by surface tension meter and Cobb value tester as well. It was found that the water resistant property and the Cobb value of the sized paper were improved greatly, the emulsion had the best performance when the dosage of AIBA accounted for 1.6% of total amount of the monomers, dosage of DMC and 2-EHA accounted for 5.0% and 15.0% of total amount of the monomers respectively. |