@misc{velasquez_instability_of_2013, author={Velasquez, E., Oliva, H., Mueller, A.J., Lopez, J.V., Vega, J., Meira, G.R., Wambach, M.}, title={Instability of styrene/polystyrene/polybutadiene/polystyrene-beta-polybutadiene emulsions that emulate styrene polymerization in the presence of polybutadiene}, year={2013}, howpublished = {journal article}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.23450}, abstract = {This article investigates the room temperature demixing of oil-in-oil emulsions containing styrene (St), polybutadiene (PB), a St-butadiene star block copolymer (BC), and two polystyrene (PS) samples of different molecular weights and is a contribution toward a better understanding of the stability/instability of the reaction mixture in a bulk high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) process close to the phase inversion. Twelve bulk prepolymerizations of St in the presence of PB were emulated, at 10%, 15%, and 20% conversion; and with constant grafting efficiencies. All the blends contained 6% in weight of butadiene units. After stirring the blends for 24 h, the decantation demixing process was monitored along 30 days, with daily measurement of the interface levels after appearance of a clear interface. For some of the isolated phases, their unswollen morphologies were observed by transmission electron microscopy. All the isolated phases exhibited macrophase separation into homopolymer- and copolymer-rich macrodomains with lamellar microdomains. The BC showed a greater affinity toward the PS-rich phase. The separation of an independent BC-rich phase in the blends containing the high molar mass PS and at high grafting efficiencies, modifies the idea of the graft- or BC molecules located at the interface of large PS-rich and PB-rich phases.}, note = {Online available at: \url{https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.23450} (DOI). Velasquez, E.; Oliva, H.; Mueller, A.; Lopez, J.; Vega, J.; Meira, G.; Wambach, M.: Instability of styrene/polystyrene/polybutadiene/polystyrene-beta-polybutadiene emulsions that emulate styrene polymerization in the presence of polybutadiene. Polymer Engineering & Science. 2013. vol. 53, no. 9, 1886-1900. DOI: 10.1002/pen.23450}}