Preparation of self-emulsifying styrene acrylate emulsion used to improve the printability of decorative base paper

A series of self-emulsifying styrene acrylate emulsions were prepared by the core-shell emulsion polymerization method. The latex was used in the surface-treatment of decorative base papers for good printability and absorbability. The influencing factors (the kinds and dosages of functional monomers as well as the dosages of initiator) were studied and the optimal conditions were achieved. Then, the products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared, particle charge detector and laser particle size analysis. The results showed that the excellent performance of the styrene acrylate emulsion (SAE) was achieved when the reaction conditions were as follows: 20wt% butyl acrylate as the soft monomer, 2wt% α-methacrylate as the functional monomer, 0.5wt% APS. Under the optimal conditions, the latex particle size was around 60nm, the latex viscosity was 12mPa·s and the latex stability were excellent. The printability of the decorative base paper was significantly improved and the absorbability of the paper sheet was maintained. The surface-treatment effect of the self-emulsifying SAE was superior to that of commercial polyurethane.