Synthesis and characterization of micrometer‐sized particles of narrow size distribution with chloromethyl functionality on the basis of single‐step swelling of uniform polystyrene template microspheres

Polystyrene template microspheres of 1.4 ± 0.1 μm were prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in a mixture of ethanol and 2‐methoxy ethanol. These template particles were then swelled at room temperature in a single step with emulsion that was prepared in sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous solution from a swelling solvent (dibutyl phthalate) containing the initiator (benzoyl peroxide) and monomer(s) (chlormethylstyrene, divinylbenzene, or ethylene dimethacrylate). Composite uniform particles composed of the template polystyrene and noncrosslinked or crosslinked polychloromethylstyrene were prepared by polymerizing the monomer(s) within the swelled particles at 73 °C. Crosslinked uniform polychloromethylstyrene particles of higher surface area were formed by dissolving the template polystyrene polymer of the composite particles. The influence of various reaction parameters, such as dibuthyl phthalate concentration, chloromethylstyrene concentration, crosslinker type and concentration, and so forth on the molecular weight, size, size distribution, shape, morphology, surface area, and decomposition temperature of the particles was investigated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1342–1352, 2002     

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic and non-magnetic core-shell polyepoxide micrometer-sized particles of narrow size distribution

Core polystyrene microspheres of narrow size distribution were prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in a mixture of ethanol and 2-methoxy ethanol. Uniform polyglycidyl methacrylate/polystyrene core-shell micrometer-sized particles were prepared by emulsion polymerization at 73 degrees C of glycidyl methacrylate in the presence of the core polystyrene microspheres. Core-shell particles with different properties (size, surface morphology and composition) have been prepared by changing various parameters belonging to the above seeded emulsion polymerization process, e.g., volumes of the monomer glycidyl methacrylate and the crosslinker monomer ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Magnetic Fe(3)O(4)/polyglycidyl methacrylate/polystyrene micrometer-sized particles were prepared by coating the former core-shell particles with magnetite nanoparticles via a nucleation and growth mechanism. Characterization of the various particles has been accomplished by routine methods such as light microscopy, SEM, FTIR, BET and magnetic measurements.     

Synthesis and characterization of spherical and hemispherical polyepoxide micrometer‐sized particles of narrow size distribution by a single‐step swelling of uniform polystyrene template microspheres with glycidyl methacrylate

Polystyrene template microspheres of narrow size distribution were prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in a mixture of ethanol and 2‐methoxy ethanol. Spherical and hemispherical polystyrene/poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres of narrow size distribution were prepared by a single‐step swelling of the polystyrene template microspheres with the swelling solvent monomer glycidyl methacylate, followed by polymerization of the monomer within the swollen template microspheres at 73 °C. Uniform polystyrene/poly(glycidyl methacylate‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) polyepoxide composite microspheres were synthesized similarly, substituting glycidyl methacylate for glycidyl methacylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Uniform crosslinked poly(glycidyl methacylate‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) polyepoxide microspheres have been prepared by dissolution of the PS template polymer of the former composite microspheres. Particles with different properties, for example size, size distribution, shape, surface morphology, surface area, and so forth, were prepared by changing various parameters belonging to the swelling and/or polymerization steps, for example, volume of the swelling monomer/s and/or the swelling solvent dibutyl phthalate. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4612–4622, 2007     

Reparation of silica/poly(methacrylic acid)/poly(divinylbenzene-co-methacrylic acid) tri-layer microspheres and the corresponding hollow polymer microspheres with movable silica core

 Hollow poly(divinylbenzene-co-methacrylic acid) (P(DVB-co-MAA)) microspheres were prepared by the selective dissolution of the non-crosslinked poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) mid-layer in ethanol from the corresponding silica/PMAA/P(DVB-co-MAA) tri-layer hybrid microspheres, which were afforded by a three-stage reaction. Silica/PMAA core-shell hybrid microspheres were prepared by the second-stage distillation polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) via the capture of the oligomers and monomers with the aid of the vinyl groups on the surface of 3-(methacryloxy)propyl trimethoxysilane (MPS)-modified silica core, which was prepared by the Stöber hydrolysis as the first stage reaction. The tri-layer hybrid microspheres were synthesized by the third-stage distillation precipitation copolymerization of functional MAA monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) crosslinker in presence of silica/PMAA particles as seeds, in which the efficient hydrogen-bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid groups played as a driving force for the construction of monodisperse hybrid microspheres with tri-layer structure. The morphology and the structure of silica core, silica/PMAA core-shell particles, the tri-layer hybrid microspheres and the corresponding hollow polymer microspheres with movable silica cores were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).     

Uniform nonspherical latex particles as model interpenetrating polymer networks

Polystyrene/polystyrene latex interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization of styrene–divinylbenzene mixtures in crosslinked monodisperse polystyrene particles. The resulting latexes comprised uniform nonspherical particles, e.g., ellipsodal and egg-like singlets, symmetry and asymmetric doublets, and ice cream cone-like and popcorn-like multiplets. The nonspherical particles, which were formed by separation of the second-stage monomer from the crosslinked seed network during swelling and polymerization, are excellent models for studying phase separation in IPN's. The degree of phase separation increased with increasing degree of crosslinking of the seed particles, monomer/polymer swelling ratio, polymerization temperature, and seed particle size, and with decreasing divinylbenzene concentration in the swelling monomer. The results were consistent with a thermodynamic analysis based on the elastic-retractile force of the polymer network, the monomer/polymer mixing force, and interfacial tension force.     

PREPARATION OF MONODISPERSE CROSSLINKED POLYMER MICROSPHERES HAVING CHLOROMETHYL GROUP BY DISTILLATION-PRECIPITATION POLYMERIZATION

Monodisperse crosslinked poly(chloromethylstyrene-co-divinylbenzene) (poly(CMSt-co-DVB)) microspheres were prepared by distillation-precipitation copolymerization of chloromethylstyrene (CMSt) and divinylbenzene (DVB) in neat acetonitrile. The polymer particles had clean surfaces due to the absence of any added stabilizer. The size of the particles ranges from 2.59 μm to 3.19 μm and with mono-dispersity around 1.002-1.014. The effects of monomer feed in copolymerization on the microsphere formation were described. The polymer microspheres were characterized by SEM and chlorinity elemental analysis.     

Dispersion polymerization of styrene in polar solvents: Effect of reaction parameters on microsphere surface composition and surface properties,size and size distribution,and molecular weight

Polystyrene microspheres were prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in a mixture of ethanol and 2-methoxy ethanol. Surface characterization of the formed particles was performed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and critical surface tension measurements. The influence of different reaction parameters, i.e., monomer concentration, stabilizer type (polyvinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and vinylacetate and polyvinylace tate), stabilizer concentration and molecular weight, and initiator type and concentration, on the molecular weight and on the size and size distribution of the formed polystyrene microspheres was investigated. The correlation between the surface composition and wett ability properties of the particles surface and their size and size distribution was also demonstrated. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 34:1857–1871, 1996     

Phase separation in polystyrene latex interpenetrating polymer networks

Polystyrene/polystyrene latex interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared by seeded emulsion polymerzation of styrene–divinylbenzene mixtures in crosslinked monodisperse polystyrene seed latexes. The resulting latexes comprised uniform nonspherical particles, which were formed by separation of the second-stage monomer from the crosslinked seed network during swelling and polymerization. The kinetics of phase separation were investigated by examining the changes in particle morphology using optical microscopy, which revealed that the phase separation was induced by the relaxation of the polymer chains before polymerization began and was enhanced by increased conversion. The thermodynamics of phase separation were investigated by analysis of the free-energy changes during swelling and polymerization, and the phase separation was described by a nucleation-and-growth mechanism. The results of this study have been applied to the design and synthesis of a series of uniform nonspherical particles of different morphology.     

Effects of reaction temperature and reaction time on positive thermosensitivity of microspheres with poly(acrylamide)/poly(acrylic acid) IPN shells

We have successfully prepared monodispersed positively thermoresponsive core-shell hydrogel microspheres with poly(acrylamide-co-styrene) [P(AAM-co-St)] cores and IPN(interpenetrating polymer network)-based shells composed of poly(acrylamide)/poly(acrylic acid). The submicron-sized monodispersed P(AAM-co-St) core seeds were prepared by using a surfactant-free emulsion polymerization method, and the IPN-based shell layers were fabricated onto the core seeds by using a method of sequential IPN synthesis. Effects of reaction time and reaction temperature during preparation of IPN on the particle size, monodispersity, and thermoresponsive characteristics of microspheres were investigated. The results show that the sizes of particles with IPN shell layer are smaller than that of seeds, and the change of monodispersity among them is not obvious and the monodispersity of particles prepared under higher reaction temperature is higher than that of seeds and those particles prepared under lower reaction temperature. With increasing reaction time, thermoresponsive characteristics of microspheres increases. While thermoresponsive characteristics of microspheres decreases sharply with increasing reaction temperature. The results display preparation of IPN-structured microspheres is so careful to need longer reaction time and lower reaction temperature.     

Synthesis and characterization of polychloromethylstyrene nanoparticles of narrow size distribution by emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization processes

Polychloromethylstyrene nanoparticles of sizes from 12.0 ± 2.3 to 229.6 ± 65 nm were prepared by the emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization of chloromethylstyrene in an aqueous continuous phase in the presence of potassium persulfate as initiator, sodium octylbenzenesulfonate as surfactant, and hexadecane as costabilizer for the miniemulsion polymerization process only. The influence of various polymerization parameters (e.g., concentration of the monomer, initiator, the crosslinker monomer, and the surfactant) on the properties of the particles (e.g., size, size distribution, and yield) has been elucidated. The polychloromethylstyrene nanoparticles formed via the emulsion polymerization mechanism possess smaller diameter and size distribution than those formed under similar conditions via the miniemulsion polymerization mechanism. Other differences between these two polymerization mechanisms have also been elucidated. For future study, we wish to use these nanoparticles for the covalent immobilization of bioactive reagents such as proteins to the surface of these nanoparticles for various biomedical applications.     

Surface modification of crosslinked poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) micrometer-sized particles of narrow size distribution by ozonolysis

Micrometer-sized polystyrene template particles of narrow size distribution were prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in 2-methoxyethanol. Uniform micrometer-sized polystyrene/crosslinked poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) composite particles were formed by a single-step swelling process of the template particles with styrene, divinyl benzene and benzoyl peroxide, followed by polymerization at 70 degrees C. Uniform micrometer-sized crosslinked poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) particles of higher surface area were produced by dissolution of the template polystyrene part of the former composite particles with N,N-dimethylformamide. Hydroperoxide conjugated crosslinked poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) particles were produced by ozonolysis of these particles. The effect of ozonolysis conditions, such as exposure time and flow rate of the ozone, on the hydroperoxide conjugation to the crosslinked particles was also studied. Functionalization of the crosslinked poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) particles was performed by graft polymerization of vinylic monomers such as acrylonitrile and chloromethylstyrene on the hydroperoxide conjugated crosslinked particles. This was accomplished by raising the temperature (e.g., 70 degrees C) of deairated acetonitrile dispersions containing the hydroperoxide conjugated particles and the vinylic monomers. The influence of various polymerization parameters on the grafting yield, e.g., monomer concentration, conjugated hydroperoxide concentration, and temperature, was also elucidated.     

Synthesis of core-shell polymer microspheres by two-stage distillation-precipitation polymerization

Narrow- or monodisperse core-shell polymer microspheres with a dense core and a lightly crosslinked shell with different functional groups, such as ester, hydroxyl, cyano, were prepared by two-stage distillation-precipitation polymerization without any stabilizer. Commercial divinylbenzene (DVB), containing 80% of DVB was polymerized by distillation-precipitation polymerization with 2,2′-azobis(2-methyl propionitrile) (AIBN) as initiator in neat acetonitrile in the absence of any stabilizer as the first stage polymerization and used as the core. When the conversion of DVB was about 35% in the first stage, the second-comonomers with different functional groups, such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), butyl methacrylate (BMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), i-octyl acrylate (i-OA), dodecyl acrylate (DA), methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (Trim), and acrylnitrile (AN) together with AIBN were introduced, respectively, into the reaction system and copolymerized with unreacted DVB on the core surface to form a lightly crosslinked functional shell. The resulting core-shell polymer particles were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FT-IR spectra.     

Synthesis of core‐shell poly(divinylbenzene) microspheres via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer graft polymerization of styrene

Styrene has been grafted from crosslinked poly(divinylbenzene) core microspheres by both reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and conventional free radical polymerization. The core microspheres were prepared by precipitation polymerization. Crosslinked poly(DVB) core microspheres containing double bonds on the particle surface can be used directly to graft polymers from the surface by RAFT without prior modification of the core microspheres. The RAFT agent 1‐phenylethyl dithiobenzoate (PEDB) was used: Particle sizes increased from 2 μm up to 3.06 μm, and the particle weight increased by up to 6.5%. PEDB controls the particle weight gain, the particle volume, and the molecular weight of the soluble polymer. PEDB was also used to synthesize core poly(DVB) RAFT microspheres that contain residual RAFT end groups on the surface and within the particle. Styrene was subsequently grafted from the surface of these core poly(DVB) RAFT microspheres. The generated microspheres were characterized by ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, focused ion beam (FIB) milling, Coulter particle sizing, and size exclusion chromatography. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5067–5076, 2004     

分散聚合与水热处理相结合制备单分散聚苯乙烯微球的研究

将分散聚合与水热处理相结合,以聚乙烯醇为稳定剂,以乙醇和水为分散介质,三羟甲基丙烷三丙烯酸酯为交联剂,一步法成功制备得到不同粒径的单分散交联聚苯乙烯微球.以乙醇/水的比例为50/50的反应体系为基础,研究了聚乙烯醇类型和含量,有机相含量,引发剂浓度,以及水热釜填充量等对所制备的微球形貌的影响,发现聚乙烯醇类稳定剂的分子量的降低和含量的增多倾向于生成黏连的微球;在有交联剂的条件下,不含稳定剂的体系仍能够得到单分散的交联PS微球;有机相含量的增加会导致微球呈现多分散性;而体系中引发剂的含量和反应液在水热釜中的填充量对微球的形貌影响不大.进一步针对水热法的特点分析探讨了一步法成功制备单分散的交联聚苯乙烯微球的原因及其机理.     

SYNTHESIS OF POLY(DIVINYLBENZENE-co-ACRYLIC ACID) HOLLOW MICROSPHERES WITH GOLD NANOPARTICLES ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE

Poly(divinylbenzene-co-acrylic acid) (poly(DVB-co-AA)) hollow microspheres with gold nanoparticles on the interior surfaces were prepared from the gold nanoparticles-coated poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA@Au@poly(DVB-co-AA)) core-shell microspheres by removal of the PMAA core in water.Au nanoparticles-coated PMAA microspheres were afforded by the in-situ reduction of gold trichloride with PMAA microsphere as stabilizer via the interaction between carboxylic acid groups and Au nanoparticles.Gold nanoparticle...     

Synthesis of core-shell type polystyrene monodisperse particles with chloromethyl groups

The synthesis of core-shell type polystyrene monodisperse particles with surface chloromethyl groups was carried out by a two-step emulsion polymerization process at different reaction temperatures. In a first step, the core was synthesized at 90 °C by means of batch emulsion polymerization of styrene (St), and in the second step, the shell was polymerized by batch emulsion copolymerization of St and chloromethylstyrene (CMS) using the seed obtained previously. With the aim of optimizing the production of these core-shell type polystyrene monodisperse particles with surface chloromethyl groups, the reaction temperature in the second step, the purification or not of the functionalized monomer (CMS), the amount and type of the redox initiator system used, and the type of addition of the initiator system to the reactor were studied.     

Coating lysozyme molecularly imprinted thin films on the surface of microspheres in aqueous solutions

The polymerization of 3‐aminophenylboronic acid in an aqueous environment was used for the first time to modify polystyrene microspheres for protein (lysozyme) molecular imprinting. Polystyrene microspheres were prepared by styrene polymerization in an aqueous emulsion with poly(vinyl alcohol) as a surfactant. Poly(3‐aminophenylboronic acid) was then grafted onto the surface of the polystyrene microspheres through oxidation by ammonium persulfate in an aqueous solution in the presence or absence of lysozyme or hemoglobin. Rebinding experiments were conducted to establish the equilibrium time and to detect the specific binding capacity and selective recognition. The results indicated that the microspheres, imprinted by the template protein lysozyme or hemoglobin, possessed specific recognition sites on the shells and had a high specific binding capacity for template proteins. The imprinted particles did not need to be ground or sieved and could easily reach the adsorption equilibrium, thus avoiding some problems of the bulk polymer. All these results demonstrate that the particles have potential applications as substitutes for bulk polymers in biological macromolecular affinity studies. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1911–1919, 2007     

Synthesis of Monodisperse Poly(chloromethylstyrene divinylbenzene)Particle and Its Applications

Poly(styrene-divinylbenzene)(PS-DVB)particlesarethemostcommonlyusedpolymericchromatographicstationaryphase.However,theirhydrophobicnaturelimitstheirusageinbiochemicalseparations.ChemicalmodificationofPS-DVBmaybeusedtoincreasetheirpolarityfortheseparationofbiomacromolecules.Becausepoly(chloromethylstyrenedivinylbenzene)(PS-CH2Cl)containsreactivechloromethylgroups,ithasmanyadvantagesoverPS-DVBinchemicalmodification.However,untilnow,theyhavebeenpreparedbysuspensionpolymerization.Thismeth…     

Synthesis of monodisperse polystyrene microspheres by dispersion polymerization using sodium polyaspartate

We prepared monodisperse polystyrene microspheres by dispersion polymerization using sodium polyaspartate (PAspNa) as a dispersion stabilizer in an ethanol/water medium. The influence of reaction parameters, i.e., the volume fraction of ethanol in the medium, stabilizer concentration, and the monomer concentration, on the average diameter of the prepared polystyrene microspheres and its distribution were investigated. Polystyrene microspheres were successfully prepared, and the average diameter of the prepared monodisperse polystyrene microspheres was controlled by adjusting the reaction parameters. The zeta potential of the microspheres and the time course of conversion, the particle diameter and its distribution, and particle numbers were also examined. It was found that PAspNa as a dispersion stabilizer provides an environmentally benign process for the preparation of monodisperse polymer microspheres by dispersion polymerization.     

反应介质pH值和前驱体用量对PSt/TiO_2复合微球结构形态及TiO_2空心微球形貌的影响

首先用聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)对粒径为360 nm的单分散无皂聚苯乙烯(PSt)乳胶粒进行修饰,得到表面荷正电的PSt种子乳液,然后将其滴加到溶有钛酸正丁酯(TBT)的乙醇与水的混合介质中,通过溶胶-凝胶(sol-gel)法制备出了核壳结构PSt/TiO2复合微球,系统研究了体系pH和TBT用量对复合微球结构形态的影响.研究表明,酸性条件不利于核壳结构PSt/TiO2复合微球的形成;当体系pH值为7.2时,可得到包覆完整、TiO2壳层厚度均一的PSt/TiO2复合微球,此后随着体系pH值的升高,包覆厚度逐渐提高;当pH值升高到11.0时,壳层厚度达到最大,但出现了包覆层不完整的复合微球.在固定聚合体系pH为8.5,EtOH/H2O质量比为100/6,表面修饰PSt种子乳液用量为0.5 g(固含量为4%)的条件下,随着TBT用量从0.01 g增加到0.16 g,复合微球壳层厚度从约0 nm逐渐增加到60 nm;当TBT用量增加到0.32 g时,壳层厚度迅速降至12nm,微球表面变得粗糙,并出现大量未包覆微粒;此后随着TBT用量的增加,包覆层厚度逐渐减少,未包覆微球逐渐增多.结果显示,当复合微球中TiO2包覆层达到一定厚度时,经煅烧后才能得到形貌完整的TiO2中空微球.