Polymere sind zweifelsohne der Werkstoff in unserer Zeit. Ein bedeutender Anteil der heute industriell produzierten Polymere wird durch Emulsionspolymerisation hergestellt. Obwohl die Emulsionspolymerisation breite Anwendung findet, sind die involvierten Mechanismen von Teilchenbildung und -wachstum noch heute Gegenstand heftiger Kontroversen.<br> Ein Spezialfall der Emulsionspolymerisation ist die emulgatorfreie Emulsionspolymerisation. Hierbei handelt es sich um ein scheinbar einfacheres System der Emulsionspolymerisation, weil diese Methode ohne Zusatz von Emulgatoren auskommt.<br><br> Die Teilchenbildung ist ein fundamentaler Vorgang im Verlauf der Emulsionspolymerisation, da sie zur Ausbildung der polymeren Latexphase führt. Detaillierte Kenntnisse zum Mechanismus der Nukleierung ermöglichen eine bessere Kontrolle des Reaktionsverlaufes und damit der Eigenschaften des Endproduktes der Emulsionspolymerisation, dem Polymer-Latex.<br> Wie bereits vorangegangene Arbeiten auf dem Gebiet der emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisation von Styrol sowie Methylmethacrylat und Vinylacetat zeigen konnten, verläuft die Teilchenbildung in diesen Systemen über den Mechanismus der aggregativen Nukleierung. Im Zusammenhang mit den Ergebnissen der genannten Arbeiten tauchte dabei immer wieder ein interessanter Effekt im Bereich der Partikelnukleierung auf. Dieses als JUMBO-Effekt bezeichnete Phänomen zeigte sich reproduzierbar in einem Anstieg der Transmission im Bereich der Teilchenbildung von emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisationen von Styrol, MMA und VAc. Nach der Initiierung der Polymerisation in einer wässrigen Monomerlösung durch Kaliumperoxodisulfat steigt die Durchlässigkeit bei 546 nm auf über 100 % an. Für diese „Abnahme der optischen Dichte“ wurden verschiedene Erklärungsmöglichkeiten vorgeschlagen, jedoch blieb ein Nachweis der Ursache für den JUMBO-Effekt bisher aus. Dieser Mangel an Aufklärung eines offenbar grundlegenden Phänomens in der emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisation bildet den „Nukleus“ für die vorlie¬gende Arbeit.<br><br> Durch die vorliegende Dissertation konnte das Verständnis für Phänomene der Teilchenbildung in der emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisation von Styrol mit KPS erweitert werden. In diesem Rahmen wurde das Online-Monitoring des Polymerisationsvorganges verbessert und um verschiedene Methoden erweitert:<br> Zur simultanen Erfassung von Trübungsdaten bei verschiedenen Wellenlängen konnte ein modernes Spektrometer in Kombination mit einer Lichtleitersonde in die Reaktionsapparatur integriert werden.<br><br> Es wurde ein verbesserter Algorithmus zur Datenbearbeitung für die Partikelgrößenbestimmung mittels faseroptischer dynamischer Lichtstreuung entwickelt.<br> Es wurden Online-Partikelgrößenanalysen mittels statischer Vielwinkellichtstreuung bei Polymerisationen direkt in entsprechenden Lichtstreuküvetten durchgeführt.<br><br> Diese zur Beschreibung des untersuchten Systems eingeführten Methoden sowie ein zeitlich vollständiges Monitoring des gesamten Polymerisationsverlaufes, beginnend mit der Zugabe von Monomer zu Wasser, führten zu neuen Erkenntnissen zur emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisation.<br> Es wurden große Monomeraggregate, die sog. Nanotröpfchen, in wässriger Lösung (emulgatorfrei) nachgewiesen. Diese Aggregate bilden sich spontan und treten verstärkt in entgastem Wasser auf.<br><br> Die Existenz von Nanotröpfchen in Verbindung mit Trübungs- und gaschromatografischen Messungen lässt auf eine molekular gelöste „Wirkkonzentration“ von Styrol in Wasser schließen, die bedeutend geringer ist als die absolute Sättigungskonzentration.<br> Es konnten Hinweise auf eine Reaktion höherer Ordnung im System Wasser/Styrol/KPS gefunden werden.<br><br> Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass eine präzise Einstellung der Nukleierungsdauer über die Zeit der Equilibrierung von Wasser mit Styrol möglich ist.<br> Der JUMBO-Effekt, dem in dieser Arbeit ein besonderes Interesse galt, konnte in gewisser Weise entmystifiziert werden. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Durchlässigkeit der Reaktionsmischung bereits beim Lösen von Styrol in Wasser durch Bildung von Styrolaggregaten abnimmt. Der darauf folgende kurzzeitige Transmissionsanstieg im Zusammenhang mit der Nukleierung erreicht dabei nicht mehr 100 % des Referenzwertes von reinem Wasser. Alle experimentellen Daten sprechen für die Nanotröpfchen als Ursache des JUMBO-Effekts.<br> Wie die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit zeigen, ist selbst das relativ „einfache“ System der emulgatorfreien Emulsionspolymerisation komplizierter als angenommen. Die Existenz von großen Styrolaggregaten in wässriger Lösung erfordert eine neue Betrachtungsweise des Reaktionssystems, in die auch der Lösungszustand des Monomers mit einbezogen werden muss. / Polymers are doubtless the material of today. Large amounts of industrially produced polymers are made via emulsion polymerization. Although emulsion polymerization is widely used commercially, the mechanisms of particle formation and -growth involved are still intensely controversial.<br><br> A special case of the emulsion polymerization is the emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. This apparently easier procedure is performed without addition of emulsifier.<br> Particle formation is a fundamental event in the progression of emulsion polymerization because it leads to the formation of a polymeric latex phase. Explicit knowledge concerning the mechanism of nucleation facilitates better control of the reaction process and therefore of the properties of the final polymeric latex product.<br><br> Other contributions in emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene could already proof that particle formation in the present system proceeds via aggregative nucleation. In the context of the results of these contributions, an interesting effect was always detected in the time range of particle nucleation. This so-called “JUMBO-effect” appeared highly reproducible as an increase of transmittance during nucleation period in the emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene. After initiation of the polymerization in an aqueous monomer solution with potassiumperoxodisulfate the transmittance at 546 nm increases to more than 100 %. For this “decrease in optical density” various possible explanations have been suggested, but a proof for any of them is still to be found. This lack of insight into an apparently fundamental phenomenon in emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization arises as the “nucleus” of the present thesis.<br><br> Within this work the understanding of the phenomena of particle formation in emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene with potassiumperoxodisulfate could be enhanced. In this frame the online monitoring of the polymerization process could be improved and expanded to several methods:<br><br> For the simultaneous recording of UV-spectra respectively turbidity data at various wavelengths a modern spectrometer in combination with a fibre optical probe could be integrated into the reaction vessel.<br> An improved algorithm for data treatment of particle size determination via fibre optical dynamic light scattering was developed.<br> We implemented online particle size determinations via multi angle laser light scattering directly in light scattering cuvettes.<br><br> These newly introduced methods, in combination with temporally complete monitoring of the whole polymerization progression, starting with the addition of monomer to water, lead to novel insight into emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene:<br> Big monomer aggregates, so called “nano droplets”, could be detected in an aqueous solution of styrene. These aggregates form spontaneously and appear especially in degassed water. Polymerisation as the origin of the nano droplets can be excluded.<br> In context with turbidity and gas chromatographic measurements, the existence of nano droplets leads us to conclude that there is a molecularly dissolved “effective” concentration of styrene in water which is much lower than the absolute concentration reported in the literature.<br> We could find some hints for a higher reaction order in the system water/styrene/potassiumpersulfate. The induced decomposition of the peroxodisulfate ion in the presence of styrene and ethylbenzene shows an additional reaction of the initiator with aromatic compounds besides the thermolytical cleavage.<br> Furthermore it could be shown that it is possible to precisely adjust the duration of nucleation with the solubilisation time of styrene in water. This kind of control can be useful for other applications.<br> The JUMBO-effect, which was a major topic of this thesis, could be partly de-mystified. It could be shown that the turbidity of the reaction mixture already increases during the dissolution process of styrene due to the formation of aggregates. The turbidity decrease which is depicted by the JUMBO-effect in the time range of nucleation never reaches 100 % of the reference water. An interference of the used measuring wavelength with the domain size of density fluctuations according to the theory of spinodal decomposition could not be verified. The experimental data suggest rather the nano droplets as origin of the JUMBO-effect.<br> The results of the present thesis show clearly that the relatively “simple” system of the emulsifier-free emulsion polymerisation (water/styrene/potassiumpersulfate) is more complex than expected. The existence of big styrene aggregates in aqueous solution requires a new approach of the reaction system, which also includes the solution state of the monomer.

O objetivo do trabalho foi sintetizar e caracterizar nanopartículas de poliestireno e polimetacrilato de metila com morfologia núcleo-casca obtidas através da polimerização em emulsão sem emulsificante em dois estágios e através da fotopolimerização. Nos experimentos avaliou-se a influência de diferentes condições operacionais baseadas em fatores cinéticos sobre os dois estágios da polimerização. As condições avaliadas para o primeiro estágio de preparação de núcleos foram: a temperatura do processo, a concentração de iniciador e de monômero, e o efeito de agentes modificadores de superfície (sal, co-monômero e reticulante). Para o segundo estágio de formação da casca as condições avaliadas foram: a concentração e o regime de alimentação de monômero. Os resultados experimentais mostraram que uma relação de co-monômero e reticulante é a melhor alternativa para preparar núcleos estáveis e de diâmetros pequenos. Assim, o revestimento uniforme dos núcleos é obtido no segundo estágio e com isso a morfologia núcleo-casca em equilíbrio é alcançada. Dois sistemas experimentais (reator convencional e reator fotoquímico) foram propostos e avaliados na sua eficiência para obter partículas com este tipo de morfologia no segundo estágio (formação do revestimento). As diversas técnicas de caracterização indicaram a formação de morfologia núcleo-casca na maioria dos casos estudados para os dois sistemas propostos. Por sua vez, as técnicas espectroscópicas (NIR e Raman) permitiram o monitoramento do processo em tempo real e a elaboração de modelos de calibração que correlacionaram o crescimento do tamanho da partícula núcleo. Da mesma forma, os fatores termodinâmicos foram estudados para predizer a morfologia final esperada nos sistemas. Os resultados, experimental e predito são comparados e discutidos em termos de aspectos chave envolvidos no controle da morfologia da partícula. / This work aimed at studying the synthesis and characterization of core-shell nanoparticles of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate obtained in a two-stage emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization and photopolymerization. The influence of different operational conditions based on kinetic factors was experimentally evaluated. In the first stage (seed preparation) the process temperature, initiator and monomer concentrations and the effect of surface-modifier agents (acids, salts, co-monomers and crosslinker) were investigated; similarly in the second stage, the concentration and feeding regime of monomer were evaluated with respect to the shell formation. Experimental results showed that both, crosslinker and co-monomer are the best alternative to achieve a stable seed with small diameter; hence, with this core, uniform coating is obtained in the second stage and core-shell morphology is reached. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the preparation of core-shell particles, two experimental systems (conventional and photochemical reactor) were studied. Different characterization techniques indicated that in most of the cases studied particles with the desired core-shell morphology were formed. The use of spectroscopic techniques NIR and Raman were tested for the real-time monitoring of the process using adequate calibration models developed to correlate the average size of the growing core particle with the spectra. In the same way, thermodynamic factors were used to predict the expected final morphology of the particles. Experimental and predicted results were compared and discussed in terms of the key aspects involved in the control of the particle morphology.

O objetivo do trabalho foi sintetizar e caracterizar nanopartículas de poliestireno e polimetacrilato de metila com morfologia núcleo-casca obtidas através da polimerização em emulsão sem emulsificante em dois estágios e através da fotopolimerização. Nos experimentos avaliou-se a influência de diferentes condições operacionais baseadas em fatores cinéticos sobre os dois estágios da polimerização. As condições avaliadas para o primeiro estágio de preparação de núcleos foram: a temperatura do processo, a concentração de iniciador e de monômero, e o efeito de agentes modificadores de superfície (sal, co-monômero e reticulante). Para o segundo estágio de formação da casca as condições avaliadas foram: a concentração e o regime de alimentação de monômero. Os resultados experimentais mostraram que uma relação de co-monômero e reticulante é a melhor alternativa para preparar núcleos estáveis e de diâmetros pequenos. Assim, o revestimento uniforme dos núcleos é obtido no segundo estágio e com isso a morfologia núcleo-casca em equilíbrio é alcançada. Dois sistemas experimentais (reator convencional e reator fotoquímico) foram propostos e avaliados na sua eficiência para obter partículas com este tipo de morfologia no segundo estágio (formação do revestimento). As diversas técnicas de caracterização indicaram a formação de morfologia núcleo-casca na maioria dos casos estudados para os dois sistemas propostos. Por sua vez, as técnicas espectroscópicas (NIR e Raman) permitiram o monitoramento do processo em tempo real e a elaboração de modelos de calibração que correlacionaram o crescimento do tamanho da partícula núcleo. Da mesma forma, os fatores termodinâmicos foram estudados para predizer a morfologia final esperada nos sistemas. Os resultados, experimental e predito são comparados e discutidos em termos de aspectos chave envolvidos no controle da morfologia da partícula. / This work aimed at studying the synthesis and characterization of core-shell nanoparticles of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate obtained in a two-stage emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization and photopolymerization. The influence of different operational conditions based on kinetic factors was experimentally evaluated. In the first stage (seed preparation) the process temperature, initiator and monomer concentrations and the effect of surface-modifier agents (acids, salts, co-monomers and crosslinker) were investigated; similarly in the second stage, the concentration and feeding regime of monomer were evaluated with respect to the shell formation. Experimental results showed that both, crosslinker and co-monomer are the best alternative to achieve a stable seed with small diameter; hence, with this core, uniform coating is obtained in the second stage and core-shell morphology is reached. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the preparation of core-shell particles, two experimental systems (conventional and photochemical reactor) were studied. Different characterization techniques indicated that in most of the cases studied particles with the desired core-shell morphology were formed. The use of spectroscopic techniques NIR and Raman were tested for the real-time monitoring of the process using adequate calibration models developed to correlate the average size of the growing core particle with the spectra. In the same way, thermodynamic factors were used to predict the expected final morphology of the particles. Experimental and predicted results were compared and discussed in terms of the key aspects involved in the control of the particle morphology.

Les émulsions représentent une large gamme de produits alimentaires, cosmétiques et pharmaceutiques. Pour assurer leur stabilité, une interface chargée de tensioactif est nécessaire. Cette interface constitue une barrière contre la coalescence mais gène la libération des principes actifs encapsulés. Dans cette thèse, une nouvelle méthode d’émulsification est développée. Elle consiste à utiliser des ultrasons à hautes fréquences (UHF) (1,7MHz) qui permettent d’avoir des émulsions stables sans émulsifiants tout en évitant les effets mécaniques violents de la cavitation acoustique présente aux basses fréquences. L’étude des répartitions granulométriques a montré une diminution significative de la taille des gouttelettes d’huile au cours du temps de traitement par ultrasons de hautes fréquences. Le suivi du pH des émulsions montre une forte diminution et une charge de surface importante des gouttelettes est enregistrée ce qui montre une accumulation d’ions OH- à l’interface l'huile/eau conduisant à la stabilité des gouttelettes dans l'émulsion. La conductivité des émulsions diminue durant l’émulsification traduisant une baisse de la quantité d’ions en solution, ce qui indique la formation de la couche contre ions (charge positive) autour de la structure des OH-. Les résultats montrent une stabilisation électrostatique des émulsions obtenue par la formation d’une double couche ionique autour des gouttelettes d’huile. Contrairement aux procédés d’émulsification standard, les émulsions faites par ce procédé montrent une stabilité de 30 jours à 37°C. L’utilisation des émulsions sans émulsifiant faites par UHF pour la vectorisation de CoQ10 montre une prolifération cellulaire plus élevée que dans le cas des émulsions avec émulsifiant. Une étude approfondie des émulsions sans émulsifiant par diffusion des rayons X aux petits angles (SAXS) et par résonance magnétique nucléaire (RMN) a été réalisée et comparée à des émulsions contenant un ou plusieurs émulsifiants. L’étude SAXS montre clairement l’absence de micelles de tensioactifs pour les émulsions sans émulsifiants et les résultats de la RMN montrent l’absence de la signature des tensioactifs et des phospholipides dans les émulsions faites par ultrasons de hautes fréquences. Par ailleurs, la RMN montre l’absence d’interaction entre des différents constituants de l’émulsion et aussi l’absence de structure néoformées / Emulsions are systems containing two immiscible liquids, one dispersed as droplets (dispersed phase) throughout the other (continuous phase). When emulsifier is added, it may interact with the other formulations compounds creating new emulsion properties. Therefore, it becomes difficult to study the role of oil phase alone on emulsion properties. In this thesis, emulsifier free emulsion was developed with high frequency ultrasounds (HFU) generated by piezoelectric ceramic transducer vibrating at 1.7 MHz. pH measurement showed significant decrease and negative electrophoretic mobility showed the accumulation of OH- at oil/water interface leading to droplets stability in the emulsion. Emulsions conductivity showed a decrease of the ions quantity in solution, which indicated formation of positive charge layer around OH- structure. They constituted a double ionic layer around oil particles providing emulsion stability. This study showed a strong correlation between turbidity measurement and proportion of emulsified oil. Unlike standard emulsification methods, emulsions made this process demonstrates stability for 30 days at 37 °C. The use of emulsions without emulsifier made by HFU for vectoring CoQ10 shows a higher cell proliferation in the case of emulsion without emulsifier. A study of emulsions without emulsifer by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) was performed and compared to emulsions containing emulsifiers. NMR analysis showed no interactions between different compounds and the HFU manufacturing process did not cause chemical degradation or neoformed compounds. SAXS showed a thin interface between two phases with different electronic density (water/oil) for emulsions with and without emulsifiers. For emulsion with emulsifiers SAXS showed surfactant micelles diffusion signal which doesn’t appear in the emulsion without emulsifiers