Preparation and structure of fluorinated/non-fluorinated polyacrylate gradient emulsion blend film

The emulsion blend method, which is environmentally friendly and energy saving, was used to prepare a compositional gradient film of fluorinated/non-fluorinated polyacrylate in this paper. The size and glass-transition temperature (Tg) of the emulsion particles were designed to enhance the driving force of their selective congregation and promote the formation of gradient structure. The structures and surface properties of the obtained films were characterized. The results showed that when the fluorinated components have much smaller particle size and higher Tg than those of fluorine-free polyacrylate components, the gradient structures formed in the direction across the film thickness of the films. The concentration of the fluorinated component increased gradually from film–glass interface to film–air interface in the blend film, making the surface free energies of the two sides of the gradient film distinctively different.