Thesis (PhD (Chemistry and Polymer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The study described in this dissertation examines the synthesis of mainly acrylate-based surfactants and their subsequent use as emulsifiers/stabilisers in the emulsion polymerisation of styrene. Some acrylamide-based surfactants were also studied, for comparison purposes only. Two major types of surfactants, polymerisable (surfactant monomers or surfmers) and polymeric, were synthesised, characterised and used in emulsion polymerisation reactions. The prepared polymerisable surfactants, 12-acryloyloxydodecanoic acid (12-ADA) and 11-acrylamidoundecanoic acid (11-AAUA), and their sodium salts, had reactive acryloyl functionalities.