Dear Barbara

you can use DLS technique(Dynamic Light Scattering) for determination of the swelling behaviour.

Dear Reza,

Thank you for your answer. But actually, I'l trying to understand the sample preparation. I'm determining it by DLS, but I want to know if I need to add the surfactant in the solution in order to mesure it.

I believe the surfactant will tend to maintain swollen particle stability in the event that the swelling (hydrophobe) material saturates the core and "neutralizes" the extant charges stabilizing the latex. At saturation, the probability for particle-particle flocculation will increase. The added SDS will not be buried by swelling hydrophobe, and will promote charge stabilization before, at, and past the point of hydrophobe swelling saturation.

Mr Texter,

Thank you very much for your answer. It was extremely usefull!

Regards!

Dear Barbara,

your assumption is right, monomer partition will occur between micelles and the latex particles. I would assume surfactant is for preventing monomer present as a separate phase. What I wonder about is, why it is investigated in water instead of in monomer liquid without water?

Dear Titus,

Thank you for your answer.

Actually, I use my latex particles as seed for further step in my emulsion polymerization, so in order to imitate the original system, I investigate it in water/monomer, instead of pure monomer. However, so far my latex particles have not swoolen at all (after 4 days). I will try to carry out this experiment in pure monomer as you said.

Thank you

Regards

it seems possible to me that after polymerization carried to high extend swellability for monomer is highly reduced. So you will find it out after investigating in pure monomer. Looking forward to the results.