Emulsion Polymers of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Methyl Methacrylate with Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide Surfactant as Soil Stabilizer

Abstract

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based emulsion polymers stabilized with surfactants are of great importance for designing effective soil stabilizing agents that can efficiently bind soil particles. Grafting of CMC with other monomers is considered a promising alternative to enhance the binding capability of polymer with soil particles that can improve the mechanical properties of soil. In this work, CMC-methyl methacrylate (CMC-MMA) emulsion polymers were synthesized using various MMA to CMC weight ratios. Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide was employed as a cationic surfactant to control the sorption and diffusion of water in the emulsions. The materials were further investigated for their compressive strengths using dry and wet procedures by mixing them with laterite soil. The results showed that the materials were obtained in high monomer-to-polymer conversion using MMA to CMC weight ratios of 6.67 - 8.89. Characterization using Fourier transform infrared verified the formation of MMA-CMC-O-(MMA) n . The viscosity of the emulsion polymers was in the range of 3.52-8.61 cP. Overall, the rise in the number of cross-linked MMA and CMC monomers resulted in the enhanced compressive strength of the soil due to increased Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds between the polymer and soil particles.