Influence of the seed polymer on the chromatographic properties of size monodisperse polymeric separation media prepared by a multi-step swelling and polymerization method

Monodisperse polymer particle-based separation media were prepared by a multi-step swelling and polymerization method with two pairs of monomers and two porogenic solvents. Their chromatographic properties were compared to those of beads prepared by a corresponding suspension polymerization method without the use of seed polymer to ascertain the influence of the seed polymer on their porous structures. A large change in porous structure was observed when the swollen particle consisting of monomers and porogenic solvents contained at least one good solvent for the polystyrene seed polymer, allowing it to remain in the polymerizing medium. In contrast, when the polystyrene seed particle was excluded from the swollen oil droplets, due to its poor solubility in the monomers and the porogenic solvents, there was no difference in the chromatographic properties such as pore volume, pore size, pore size distribution, or retention selectivity between the multi-step swelling and polymerization method and the suspension polymerization method. Since the only difference between the multi-step swelling and polymerization method and the suspension method is the use of the seed polymer, it appears that a very small amount (< 1% v/v) of seed polymers in the enlarged swollen droplets plays an important role as a porogen and affects the porous structure as well as the chromatographic properties of the monodisperse polymer particle-based separation media. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.