Synthesis and characterization of novel pH-responsive microgels based on tertiary amine methacrylates

Emulsion polymerization of 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEA) in the presence of a bifunctional cross-linker at pH 8-9 afforded novel pH-responsive microgels of 250-700 nm diameter. Both batch and semicontinuous syntheses were explored using thermal and redox initiators. Various strategies were evaluated for achieving colloidal stability, including charge stabilization, surfactant stabilization, and steric stabilization. The latter proved to be the most convenient and effective, and three types of well-defined reactive macromonomers were examined, namely, monomethoxy-capped poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), styrene-capped poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMA50-St), and partially quaternized styrene-capped poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (10qPDMA50-St). The resulting microgels were pH-responsive, as expected. Dynamic light scattering and 1H NMR studies confirmed that reversible swelling occurred at low pH due to protonation of the tertiary amine groups on the DEA residues. The critical pH for this latex-to-microgel transition was around pH 6.5-7.0, which corresponds approximately to the known pKa of 7.0-7.3 for linear PDEA homopolymer. The microgel particles were further characterized by electron microscopy and aqueous electrophoresis studies. Their swelling and deswelling kinetics were investigated by turbidimetry. The PDEA-based microgels were compared to poly[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDPA) microgels prepared with identical macromonomer stabilizers. These PDPA-based microgels had a lower critical swelling pH of around pH 5.0-5.5, which correlates with the lower pKa of PDPA homopolymer. In addition, the kinetics of swelling for the PDPA microgels was somewhat slower than that observed for PDEA microgels; presumably this is related to the greater hydrophobic character of the former particles.     

Inverse microemulsion polymerization of sterically stabilized polyampholyte microgels

Polyampholyte microgels consisting of various compositions of poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMAA-PDMA) cross-linked with allyl methacrylate (AM) were synthesized via the inverse microemulsion polymerization (IMEP) technique. To improve colloidal stability at the isoelectric point (IEP), steric stabilization via the grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) on the surface of the microgel was performed. Potentiometric and conductometric titration showed good agreement between the targeted and experimental compositions of the microgel systems. The microgel swelled at low and high pH and possessed a compact structure near the IEP, and the diameter were in good agreement with data from the transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses. With increasing pH, the mobility decreased from +2 m(2)s(-1)V (1) at pH 2 to -2 m(2)s(-1)V (1) at pH 10. An empirical relationship describing the PMAA composition and IEP was proposed, where the IEP decreased with increasing PMAA content. The microgel exhibited thermal-responsive properties at high pH, which is dictated by the lower critical solution temperature of PDMA.     

Metal nanocrystals incorporated within pH-responsive microgel particles

Cross-linked sterically stabilized latexes of approximately 250 nm diameter were synthesized by emulsion polymerization of 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate using a bifunctional oligo(propylene oxide)-based diacrylate cross-linker and a poly(ethylene oxide)-based macromonomer as the stabilizer at pH 9. These particles exhibit reversible swelling properties in water by adjusting the solution pH. At low pH, they exist as swollen microgels as a result of protonation of the tertiary amine units. Deswelling occurs above pH 7 [the effective pK(a) of poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)], leading to the formation of the original compact latex particles. The swollen microgels can be used as nanoreactors: efficient impregnation with Pt nanoparticles can be achieved by incorporating precursor platinum compounds, followed by metal reduction. Dynamic light scattering was used to compare two methods of Pt nanoparticle impregnation with respect to the size and stability of the final Pt-loaded microgel particles. In the first method, the H2PtCl6 precursor was added to hydrophobic latex particles at high pH, followed by metal reduction. In the second method, H2PtCl6 was added to hydrophilic swollen microgel particles at low pH, and then this metal salt was reduced in situ using NaBH4 and the pH was raised by the addition of base. Both the Pt salt-loaded (metalated) microgels and the final Pt nanoparticle-loaded microgels had well-defined structures that were independent of the synthesis route. Polymer-metal interactions were investigated by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, which confirmed that the Pt salt was completely reduced to zero-valent Pt. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies verified the formation of nanometer-sized Pt nanoparticles within these microgels, which can be used as recoverable colloidal catalyst supports for various organic reactions.     

Synthesis of pH and temperature sensitive, core-shell nano/microgels, by one pot, soap-free emulsion polymerization

The synthesis and properties of thermal/pH-sensitive core-shell copolymer nano/microgels were investigated. The crosslinked core consisted of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) while the shell was stabilized by poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 2-methacryloyloxybenzoic acid (2MBA) using a "one pot" soapless emulsion polymerization method. Monodisperse particles were produced with average hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 40 to 880 nm, as determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) in water at 25°C, depending on the synthetic recipe used. The influence of PEGMA and 2MBA content on size and temperature transition at different pH values was studied. Zeta potential measurements and acid-base titration studies demonstrated almost complete incorporation of acid comonomer (2MBA) into the nano/microgels. Two different crosslinkers, a stable and an acid labile, were compared. The crosslinker used has a major influence on the size and charge density of the nano/microgels produced. Microscopic studies confirmed the core-shell morphology of the nano/microgels.     

Preparation and Characterization of pH-Sensitive Microgels of Poly((2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate)

Summary: pH-sensitive microgels of poly((2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were prepared by dispersion polymerization of 2-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate in a mixed solvent of water/ethanol. ¹HNMR, FTIR and SEM were used to confirm the chemical structure and morphological properties of the resulting microgels. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) was used to measure the hydrodynamic diameter of the particles. SEM micrographs showed that the microgel particles have a diameter of about 100–200 nm in dry state. Mean hydrodynamic diameter of the particles at their collapsed state at pH = 9.5 was found to be about 150 nm. DLS measurements at various pH values showed that the prepared microgels have a volume phase transition around pH = 8 at which the hydrodynamic diameter decreased from about 470 nm to around 150 nm corresponding to a 32 fold change in the mean volume of a microgel particle.     

Microgels containing methacrylic acid: effects of composition on pH-triggered swelling and gelation behaviours

pH-responsive microgels are cross-linked polymer colloids that swell when the pH approaches the pK _a of the particles. In this work, we present a comprehensive investigation of pH-triggered particle swelling and gel formation for a range of microgels containing methacrylic acid (MAA). The microgels investigated have the general composition poly(A/MAA/X), where A and X are the primary co-monomer and cross-linking monomer, respectively. The primary co-monomers were methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl acrylate (EA) or butyl methacrylate. The cross-linking monomers were either butanediol diacrylate (BDDA) or ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). The microgels were studied using scanning electron microscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and dynamic rheology measurements. Gel phase diagrams were also constructed. The particles swelled significantly at pH values greater than approximately 6.0. It was shown that poly(EA/MAA/X) microgels swelled more strongly than poly(MMA/MAA/X) microgels. Furthermore, greater swelling occurred for particles prepared using EGDMA than BDDA. Concentrated dispersions of all the microgels studied exhibited pH-triggered gel formation. It was found that the fluid-to-gel transitions for the majority of the six microgel dispersions investigated could be explained using PCS data. In those cases, gelation was attributed to a colloidal glass transition. Interestingly, the microgels that were considered to have the highest hydrophobic content gelation occurred under conditions where little particle swelling was evident from PCS. The data presented show that gelled poly(EA/MAA/BDDA) and poly(MMA/MAA/EGDMA) microgel dispersions have the strongest elasticities at pH = 7.     

Preparation and characterization of novel cationic pH-responsive poly(N,N'-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate) microgels

Novel monodisperse cationic pH-responsive microgels were successfully prepared by dispersion polymerization in ethanol/water mixture using N,N'-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as the monomer, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as the steric stabilizer and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the cross-linker. The effects of various polymerization parameters, such as medium polarity, concentration of cross-linker, concentration of monomer, and concentration and molecular weight of stabilizer on the final diameter and monodispersity of poly(N,N'-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) microgels were systematically studied. The pH-responsive characteristics of PDMAEMA microgels were also investigated. The experimental results showed that these microgels exhibited excellent pH-responsivity and significantly swelled at low pH values. The maximum ratio of volume change of the prepared microgels in response to pH variation was more than 11 times. It was found that the prepared microgels completely aggregated at the isoelectric point (IEP) around pH 6. On the other hand, the microgels were stable in aqueous solution at both low and high pH values. The results can be used for effectively controlled separation of particles.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel pH‐Responsive Polyampholyte Microgels

Summary: We synthesized for the first time novel pH‐responsive polyampholyte microgels consisting of poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMAA‐PDEA) that are sterically stabilized with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEM). These microgels showed enhanced hydrophilic behavior in aqueous medium at low and high pH but become hydrophobic and compact between pH 4 and 6 near the isoelectric point. Dynamic‐light scattering measurements showed that the hydrodynamic radius, R_h of these microgels is approximately 100 nm between pH 4 and 6 and increases to around 140 and 170 nm at pH 2 and 10, respectively. It is evident that the cross‐linked MAA‐DEA microgel that is sterically stabilized with PEGMEM retains the polyampholyte properties in solution.

Sterically stabilized cross‐linked MAA‐DEA microgel.     

Biomimetic deposition of silica templated by a cationic polyamine-containing microgel

We report using poly(acrylamide-co-2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, methyl chloride quaternized) cationic microgels as a porous colloidal template for biomimetic in situ silica mineralization, allowing the well-controlled synthesis of submicrometer-sized hybrid microgel--silica particles and porous silica particles by subsequent calcination. The microgels were prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization in the presence of a bisacrylamide cross-linker. Silica deposition was achieved by simply stirring an aqueous mixture of the microgel particles and tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) at 20 degrees C for 30 min. No experimental evidence was found for nontemplated silica, which indicated that silica deposition occurred exclusively within the cationic microgel template particles. The resulting microgel-silica hybrid particles were characterized by electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, FT-IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR and solid-state 29Si magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, aqueous electrophoresis, and surface area measurements. Aqueous electrophoresis studies confirmed that the hybrid microgel-silica particles had positive zeta potentials over a wide pH range and isoelectric points could be tuned by varying the synthesis conditions. This suggests that these particles could form complexes with DNA for improved gene delivery. The porosity of the calcined silica particles could be controlled by varying the amount of TMOS, suggesting potential encapsulation/controlled release applications.     

How does the nature of the steric stabilizer affect the pickering emulsifier performance of lightly cross-linked, acid-swellable poly(2-vinylpyridine) latexes?

A near-monodisperse styrene-functionalized poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMA) macromonomer was evaluated as a reactive steric stabilizer for the preparation of poly(2-vinylpyridine (P2VP) latexes via emulsion polymerization. The solution pH was shown to be a critical parameter for successful syntheses: stable latexes with minimal coagulum were only obtained at (or above) neutral pH. The presence of the grafted PDMA stabilizer in a near-monodisperse P2VP latex of 280 nm diameter was indicated by FT-IR spectroscopy and quantified at 6.0 wt % using 1H NMR spectroscopy. XPS studies confirmed that this stabilizer was located at the latex surface, as expected. Combined DLS and electrophoretic data indicated that these PDMA-P2VP particles exist in three states depending on the solution pH: swollen cationic microgels were obtained below pH 4.1, nonsolvated latex particles with a cationic stabilizer layer were obtained at intermediate pH, and flocculated latex particles with neutral PDMA stabilizer chains were obtained at around pH 8.5. Finally, this PDMA-P2VP latex was shown to be a superior Pickering emulsifier for stabilizing water-in-1-undecanol emulsions than either a poly(ethylene glycol)-stabilized P2VP latex or a charge-stabilized P2VP latex. This serves to illustrate the important role played by the steric stabilizer in determining particle wettability.     

Novel Pickering Emulsifiers based on pH-Responsive Poly(tert-butylaminoethyl methacrylate) Latexes

Emulsion copolymerization of 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate in the presence of divinylbenzene (DVB) cross-linker and monomethoxy-capped poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) macromonomer at 70 °C afforded sterically-stabilized latexes at approximately 10% solids at pH 9. Dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that relatively narrow size distributions were obtained. SEM confirmed the formation of spherical particles in the absence of any DVB cross-linker using a simple batch protocol, but in the presence of DVB it was necessary to use seeded emulsion polymerization under monomer-starved conditions to prevent the formation of latexes with ill-defined non-spherical morphologies. Lightly cross-linked latexes acquired cationic microgel character upon lowering the solution pH due to protonation of the secondary amine groups. Increasing the degree of cross-linking led to a progressively lower effective pK(a) of the copolymer chains from 8.0 to 7.3, which implies a gradual reduction in their basicity. Poly(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate latex proved to be an effective Pickering emulsifier at pH 10, forming stable oil-in-water emulsions when homogenized with either n-dodecane or sunflower oil at 12?000 rpm for 2 min. These Pickering emulsions exhibited pH-responsive behavior: lowering the solution pH to 3 resulted in immediate demulsification due to the spontaneous desorption of the cationic microgels from the oil/water interface. Following rehomogenization at high pH, four successive demulsification/emulsification pH cycles could be achieved without a discernible loss in performance. However, no demulsification occurred on acidification of the fifth cycle, due to the progressive build-up of background salt.     

Temperature, pH, and ionic strength induced changes of the swelling behavior of PNIPAM-poly(allylacetic acid) copolymer microgels

The volume phase transition of colloidal microgels made of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) is well-studied and it is known that the transition temperature can be influenced by copolymerization. A series of poly( N-isopropylacrylamide- co-allylacetic acid) copolymers with different contents of allylacetic acid (AAA) was synthesized by means of a simple radical polymerization approach. The thermoresponsive behavior of these particles was studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Further characterization was done by employing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential measurements. TEM observations reveal the approximately spherical shape and low polydispersity of the copolymer particles. In addition, the measured zeta potentials provide information about the relative surface charge. Since these copolymers are much more sensitive to external stimuli such as pH and ionic strength than their pure PNIPAM counterparts, the volume phase transition was investigated at two different pH values and various salt concentrations. At pH 10 for the copolymer microgels with the highest AAA content, a significant shift of the volume phase transition temperature toward higher values is found. For higher AAA content, a change in pH from 8 to 10 can induce a change in radius of up to 100 nm making the particles interesting as pH controlled actuators.     

Deswelling comparison of temperature‐sensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microgels containing functional ?OH groups with different hydrophilic long side chains

Two monomers containing functional ? OH groups with different hydrophilic long side chains (viz., triethyleneglycol methacrylate (TREGMA) and polyethyleneglycol methacrylate (PEGMA)) were selected to modify the swelling/deswelling behavior of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels. Dynamic scattering technique, turbidimetric method, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were employed to investigate the deswelling behavior of the microgels. Experimental results show that the two series of microgels are identical in that incorporation of hydrophilic chains containing ? OH groups causes the volume‐phase transition temperature (VPTT) of pNIPAM microgels to shift to higher temperature; the more hydrophilic the side chains, the more the VPTTs shift. Although PEGMA are more effective in elevating the VPTTs of pNIPAM microgels than TREGMA, p(NIPAM‐co‐TREGMA) microgels show better deswelling properties than p(NIPAM‐co‐PEGMA) microgels, i.e., they have much larger deswelling ratios (α) and display less continuous volume‐phase transition. The VPTTs of the modified microgels can be modulated to well close to the normal body temperature of human beings. These characteristics along with the functional ? OH groups they contain make the microgels competitive candidates for biomaterials. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3575–3583, 2005     

侧链含不同功能性羟基的温敏性N-异丙基丙烯酰胺共聚物微凝胶的制备及性能比较

选择含有活性羟基的亲水单体多缩乙二醇单甲基丙烯酸酯(PEGMA)、甲基丙烯酸羟乙酯(HEMA),分别和N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(NIPAM)交联共聚,制备了侧链含有功能性羟基、链长不同的温敏性微凝胶.研究发现,亲水单体HEMA和PEGMA的引入对微凝胶的去溶胀性能有不同的影响,PEGMA的引入使得微凝胶的体积相转变温度升高,微凝胶的去溶胀比随着PEGMA投料比的增加而降低.而HEMA的引入使得微凝胶的体积相转变温度降低;微凝胶的去溶胀比随着HEMA投料比的增加先是增加然后降低,当HEMA的投料比为8mol%时,去溶胀比达到最大.     

Synthesis and mass cytometric analysis of lanthanide-encoded polyelectrolyte microgels

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of two series of functional polyelectrolyte copolymer microgels intended for bioassays based upon mass cytometry, a technique that detects metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The microgels were loaded with Eu(III) ions, which were then converted in situ to EuF(3) nanoparticles (NPs). Both types of microgels are based upon copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and methacrylic acid (MAA), poly(NIPAm/VCL/MAA) (VCL = N-vinylcaprolactam, V series), and poly(NIPAm/MAA/PEGMA) (PEGMA = poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate, PG series). Very specific conditions (full neutralization of the MAA groups) were required to confine the EuF(3) NPs to the core of the microgels. We used mass cytometry to measure the number and the particle-to-particle variation of Eu ions per microgel. By controlling the amount of EuCl(3) added to the neutralized microgels. we could vary the atomic content of individual microgels from ca. 10(6) to 10(7) Eu atoms, either in the form of Eu(3+) ions or EuF(3) NPs. Leaching profiles of Eu ions from the hybrid microgels were measured by traditional ICP-MS.     

Formation and properties of composites based on microgels of a responsive polymer and TiO2 nanoparticles

Organic-inorganic composites were prepared with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles embedded within colloidal particles of a cross-linked, thermally responsive polymer. To promote the incorporation of unaggregated nanoparticles of TiO2, temperature responsive microspherical gels (microgels) of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) with interpenetrating (IP) linear chains of poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) were synthesized. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements revealed that these microgels reversibly shrink and swell in diameter from 300-400 nm to 600-800 nm with temperature. Two types of nanoparticles of TiO2 were immobilized within the IP-microgels-fine TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized by the hydrolysis of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and commercially available Degussa P25. Characterization of the composite was conducted using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy from which it was determined that the extent of loading of the TiO2 within the colloidal particles can be easily manipulated from a low value of 10% (weight) to a value as high as 75%. The TiO2 nanoparticles were in a dispersed state within the microgels and the composites showed rapid (approximately minutes) sedimentation, which is useful for gravity separations. By using turbidometry to characterize the settling behavior of the organic-inorganic composites, it was found that the settling time decreases as the content of TiO2 increases within the particles.     

Single step hybrid coating process to enhance the electrosteric stabilization of inorganic particles

We report on a single-step coating process and the resulting colloidal stability of silica-coated spindle-type hematite nanoparticles (NPs) decorated with a layer of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) polyelectrolyte chains that are partially incorporated into the silica shell. The stability of PAA coated NPs as a function of pH and salt concentration in water was compared to bare hematite particles and simple silica-coated hematite NPs, studying their electrophoretic mobility and the hydrodynamic radius by dynamic light scattering. Particles coated with this method were found to be more stable upon the addition of salt at pH 7, and their aggregation at the pH of the isoelectric point is reversible. The hybrid coating appears to increase the colloidal stability in aqueous media due to the combination of the decrease of the isoelectric point and the electrosteric stabilization. This coating method is not limited to hematite particles but can easily be adapted to any silica-coatable particle.     

Design and synthesis of novel magnetic core-shell polymeric particles

A novel synthetic strategy was developed for the preparation of magnetic core-shell (MCS) particles consisting of hydrophobic poly(methyl methacrylate) cores with hydrophilic chitosan shells and gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles inside the cores via copolymerization of methyl methacrylate from chitosan in the presence of vinyl-coated gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The magnetic core-shell particles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, particle size and zeta-potential measurements, vibrating sample magnetometry, and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The MCS particles were less than 200 nm in diameter with a narrow size distribution (polydispersity = 1.09) and had a good colloidal stability (critical coagulation concentration = 1.2 M NaCl at pH 6.0). Magnetization study of the particles indicated that they exhibited superparamagnetism at room temperature and had a saturation magnetization of 2.7 A m2/kg. The MCS particles were able to form a continuous film on a glass substrate, where magnetic nanoparticles could evenly disperse throughout the film. Thus, these new materials should be extremely useful in various applications.     

Ag Nanocomposite Particles: Preparation,Characterization and Application

Summary Herein, we report that different core-shell particles could be successfully used as the carrier systems for the deposition of silver nanoparticles. Firstly, thermosensitive core-shell microgel particles have been used as the carrier system for the deposition of Ag nanoparticles, in which the core consists of poly (styrene) (PS) whereas the shell consists of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) network cross-linked by N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS). Immersed in water the shell of these particles is swollen. Heating the suspension above 32 °C leads to a volume transition within the shell, which is followed by a marked shrinking of the network of the shell. Secondly, “nano-tree” type polymer brush can be used as “nanoreactor” for the generation of silver nanoparticles also. This kind of carrier particles consists of a solid core of PS onto which bottlebrush chains synthesized by the macromonomer poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) are affixed by “grafting from” technique. Thirdly, silver nanoparticles can be in-situ immobilized onto polystyrene (PS) core-polyacrylic acid (PAA) polyelectrolyte brush particles by UV irradiation. Monodisperse Ag nanoparticles with diameter of 8.5 nm, 7.5 nm and 3 nm can be deposited into thermosensitive microgels, “nano-tree” type polymer brushes and polyelectrolyte brush particles, respectively. Moreover, obtained silver nano-composites show different catalytic activity for the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol depending on the carrier system used for preparation.     

Preparation of PEGMA-functionalized latex particles. 2. System styrene/<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylcaprolactam

In a previous paper [Pich A, Lu Y, Adler H-J (2003) Colloid Polym Sci (submitted)], the synthesis of polystyrene-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PST/PEGMA) particles has been described. In the present paper polymeric particles have been prepared by emulsion co-polymerization of styrene/N-vinylcaprolactam (ST/VCL) or styrene/n-butylacrylate (ST/BA) mixtures in presence of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA). The influence of the monomer composition and PEGMA concentration on the particle size and particle size distribution was studied. Increase of VCL content in reaction mixture leads to dramatic increase of the final particle size. Particle size distribution becomes broader at higher VCL contents. Poly(ST/VCL) particles show dramatic change of the size with the temperature.