We have shown new applications and synthetic routes for polymer colloids in the field of home and personal care products by controlling polymer and/or colloidal architectures. Our initial aim was to develop functional particles that imparted beneficial properties to fibrous substrates and as such our first goal was to develop a method for depositing particles onto such surfaces. Chapter 2 describes the method by which we achieved this goal, namely adding a small amount of a low glass transition polymer to an otherwise non-adhesive polymer to enhance colloidal deposition. Following on from this work we looked into ways in which to impart desirable characteristics from the particles onto fibres. In Chapter 3 we describe how the use of a hydrazide functional monomer in polymer gels can provide a continuing slow release of fragrance molecules that reacts to the environment it is held in such that if the local fragrance concentration is low then more is released. In Chapter 4 we describe the synthesis of highly porous particles with controlled pore sizes and the use of such particles in oil absorption for applications in water-free cleaning systems. The particles are capable of carrying many times their own weight in oil and are shown to be reusable. In Chapter 5 we describe a computational model that predicts the ability of a particle to stabilize emulsions. The model is highly adaptable and can be used to predict the surface activity of almost any particle morphology. Chapter 6 builds on this work and described the synthesis of highly anisotropic polymer particles by templating preexisting structures and explains their surface activity, or lack thereof.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:572918 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Ballard, Nicholas |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/54360/ |
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