Preparation of Microcapsules Containing Water and Effect of Water Content on Expansion Behavior

Abstract

The research work was conducted in order to establish the optimum conditions for preparing the expanded polystyrene beads without harmful substances and was aimed at the preparation of the microcapsules containing water and investigation of the effect of the water content on the expansion behavior of microcapsules. Microcapsules were prepared with the suspension polymerization method and the suspension polymerization in parallel with interfacial polycondensation method using the multiple emulsion (W/O)/W and adding a few additives. With increasing the crosslinking agent concentration in the suspension polymerization method, the water content increased from R = 5.8 wt% (C T = 0) to R = 8.2 wt% (C T = 4 wt%) and then, decreased to R = 7.5 wt% (C T = 9.0 wt%), while the expansion ratio increased from E = 1.01 (C T = 0) to E = 2.20 (C T = 4 wt%) and then, decreased to E = 1.01 (C T = 7.0 wt%). With increasing the added amount of wax in the suspension polymerization method, the water content gradually increased from R = 2.5 wt% to R = 8.0 wt%, while the expansion ratio increased from E = 1.01 to E = 1.5 and then, decreased. The water content and the expansion ratio could be increased by conducting suspension polymerization in parallel with interfacial polycondensation reaction from R = 5.0 wt % to R = 8.0 wt % and from E = 1.01 to E = 1.3, respectively. The maximum expansion ratio of E = 2.58 in this work was obtained under the conditions of crosslinking agent concentration of C T = 4.0 wt %, the added amount of wax of 3.0 g, addition of Agarose and the expansion temperature of T = 150°C.