Reactive poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres prepared by dispersion polymerization

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) [poly(GMA)] microspheres of narrow size distribution were prepared in a simple one‐step procedure by dispersion radical polymerization. Depending on the solvent used, poly(GMA) particle size could be controlled in the range of 0.5–4 μm by changing the solubility parameter of the reaction mixture. In N,N′‐dimethylformamide (DMF)/methanol mixture, the particle size increased and the size distribution broadened with decreasing initial solubility parameter. While in the DMF/methanol solvent system, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) or cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) were taken as steric stabilizers of the dispersion polymerization, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was used in alcoholic media. Contrary to the DMF/methanol system, narrow particle size distributions were obtained with PVP‐stabilized polymerizations in ethanolic, methanolic, propan‐1‐olic or butan‐1‐olic medium. Both the particle size and polydispersity were reduced with increasing stabilizer concentration. If lower molecular‐weight PVP was used, larger microspheres were obtained. Poly(GMA) samples prepared in a neat alcoholic medium virtually quantitatively retained oxirane group content after the polymerization. Reactivity of the poly(GMA) microspheres was confirmed by their hydrolysis and aminolysis. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3855–3863, 2000     

Preparation of micron-size monodisperse poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) particles by dispersion polymerization

Dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate using four categories of polymeric stabilizers in a mixture of good and poor solvents was performed to produce polymeric particles. The stabilizers employed were methyl methacrylate and styrene homopolymers, methacryloyl-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene macromonomers, an amphiphilic poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid-graft-styrene), and polybutadiene derivatives containing reactive vinyl groups. Dispersion copolymerization with a small amount of the macromonomer gave micron-size particles with relatively narrow size distribution. The amphiphilic graft copolymer and the polybutadiene derivatives also afforded monodisperse particles. The mixed ratio between good and poor solvents greatly affected the particle size and size distribution. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Control of particle size in dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles ranging in diameter from 2 to 10 μm were prepared by dispersion polymerization. The effects of various polymerization parameters on the size and monodispersity were systematically investigated. The particle size was found to increase with increasing polymerization temperature, concentration and decomposition rate of the initiator, and solvency of the dispersion medium. It also increased with increasing concentration and molecular weight of the polymeric stabilizer, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). As the monomer concentration was increased from 5 to 20 wt %, a minimum was found in the particle size at a monomer concentration of 10 wt %. A costabilizer was found to be necessary for preparing monodisperse particles at stabilizer concentrations below 2 wt %. A recycling experiment showed that the consumption of PVP was quite small in each cycle and the residual materials in this system could be reused readily. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A novel route to poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and its amphiphilic block copolymers

The vinyl of the ester group of 2-vinyloxyethyl methacrylate was first selectively reacted with acetic acid to obtain 2-[1-(acetoxy)ethoxy]ethyl methacrylate ( 2 ). This protected monomer was subjected to anionic polymerization in tetrahydrofuran at −60°C in the presence of LiCl, using 1,1-diphenylhexyllithium as initiator. The molecular weight of the polymer could thus be controlled and a narrow molecular weight distribution obtained. The protecting group, 1-(acetoxy)ethyl, could be easily eliminated (by quenching the polymerization reaction with methanol and water) to generate poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)). Block copolymers were also prepared by the sequential anionic polymerization of MMA and 2 or styrene and 2 . They possess narrow molecular weight distributions, and controlled molecular weights and compositions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1865–1872, 1998     

Covalent immobilization of invertase on chemically activated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microbeads

Properties of invertase immobilized on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microbeads activated by epichlorohydrin or cyanuric chloride were studied. After 20 repeated uses for 3 days, the activity of the immobilized enzyme was 92–93%. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1793–1797, October, 2006.     

Anionic dispersion polymerization. I. control of particle size

Studies on the mechanism for the formation of the stable dispersion polystyrene prepared by anionic dispersion polymerization of styrene in n-hexane using poly(t-butylstyrene) as the stabilizing moiety in steric stabilizer have been performed by a combination of size exclusion chromatographic (SEC) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses. When the molecular weight of poly(t-butylstyrene) as the stabilizing moiety exceeded 1.76 X 10⁴ g/mol, the formed polymer particles successfully retained a steric stability. Block copolymerization of t-butylstyrene and styrene in n-hexane has also provided the dispersion polymer particles with a relatively narrow size distribution. The stable dispersion polystyrenes have been produced in n-hexane by polymerization of styrene using the mixture of sec-butyllithium and poly(t-butylstyryl)lithium. The polymerization is called living dispersion polymerization (LDP), in which poly(t-butylstyrene-b-styrene) as the steric stabilizer and polystyrene can be formed simultaneously. The particle size was readily controlled by a combination of the concentration of monomer and the molar ratio of poly(t-butylstyryl)lithium to sec-butyllithium, for instance, [stabilizing moiety]/[RLi]. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate: Mechanism of particle formation

The mechanism for the formation of micron-size polymer particles in the dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate was investigated by applying dynamic light scattering to monitor the evolution of the average particle size in the early stages of the polymerization. In addition, the contributions of physically adsorbed stabilizer and graft copolymer were evaluated by measuring the bound, unbound (adsorbed), and free stabilizer, and by determining the amount of added stabilizer required in seeded dispersion polymerizations. Twenty nanometer particles (termed nuclei) were the smallest particles detected and are considered to be formed by aggregation of growing polymer chains precipitating from solution as they exceed their critical chain length. Aggregation of these nuclei with themselves and their aggregates continues until mature and stable particles are formed. This occurs when sufficient stabilizer occupies the particle surface which includes both the polymeric stabilizer [poly(vinylpyrrolidone)] and its graft copolymer which is created in situ. The effects of process variables are discussed based on this mechanistic picture of the dispersion polymerization process. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of acrylates by atom transfer radical polymerization. Homopolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate

The application of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to the homopolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, a functional monomer, is reported. The polymerizations exhibit first-order kinetics, and molecular weights increase linearly with conversion. Polydispersities remain low throughout the polymerization (M_w/M_n ≈ 1.2). Reactions were conducted in bulk and in 1 : 1 (by volume) aqueous solution; the latter demonstrates the resilience of ATRP to protic media. Analysis of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) by MALDI-MS and ¹H-NMR shows M_n,exp to be much closer to M_n,th than those observed by SEC using polystyrene standards. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1417–1424, 1998     

Redox polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). I. Influence of surfactants on polymerization kinetics

Oxidation of ferrous orthophenanthroline (FeP) by peroxydiphosphate (PP) in aqueous medium at pH 1 was followed spectrophotometrically. Kinetic analysis has shown that oxidation occurs via the formation of an intermediate complex between FeP and PP. Equi-librium and rate constants were calculated. Influence of surfactants on the oxidation of FeP by PP was also Investigated. The equilibrium constant for complex formation was found to be higher in the presence of surfactants. The enhanced complex formation has been attributed to the ionic interactions between the charged surfactant and the ionic species in the reaction medium. Polymerization of HEMA initiated by the redox system,FeP/PP, was carried out in aqueous medium, under the conditions of excess reductant over oxidant and excess oxidant over reductant. The polymerization followed different mech-anisms under these conditions; with excess oxidant, the growing polymer radicals underwent oxidative termination, while with excess reductant, primary radical termination was pre-ferred. The effect of surfactants on the aqueous polymerization of HEMA using the redox system FeP/PP was also investigated. In addition to the decrease in rate, the polymerization followed a different mechanism in the presence of surfactants, the growing radicals ter-minated by mutual interaction. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Electrospinning of the hydrophilic poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and its copolymers with 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate

The goal was to electrospin 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate — based biocompatible polymers and prepare submicron fibres (nanofibers) for biomedicinal applications. Syntheses of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (HEMA) and its copolymer with 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate (EOEMA), and their characterization by viscometry and molecular weight are described. Their relation to electrospinning is discussed. Electrospinning of HEMA homopolymer from water-ethanol is successful for molecular weights 6.31 × 10⁵ and 1.80 × 10⁶ g/mol. Electrospinning of HEMA/EOEMA copolymers is feasible from ethanol.      

Magnetic poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate) microspheres by dispersion polymerization

Crosslinked poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate)‐based magnetic microspheres were prepared in a simple one‐step procedure by dispersion polymerization in the presence of several kinds of iron oxides. Cellulose acetate butyrate and dibenzoyl peroxide were used as steric stabilizer and polymerization initiator, respectively, and ethylene dimethacrylate was a crosslinking agent. The resulting product was characterized in terms of particle size, particle size distribution, iron(III) content, and magnetic properties. In the presence of needle‐like maghemite in the polymerization mixture and under suitable conditions, magnetic microspheres with relatively narrow size distribution were formed. An increase in the particle size and, at the same time, a decrease in molecular weight of uncrosslinked polymers resulted, as the continuous phase became richer in 2‐methylpropan‐1‐ol. Coercive force of needle‐like maghemite‐containing particles was higher than that of cubic magnetite‐loaded microspheres. Coercive force increased with the decreasing iron content in the particles. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1161–1171, 2000     

On the preparation of stable poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) nanoparticles

A comprehensive experimental study of aqueous heterophase homopolymerization of 2-hydroxyetyl methacrylate revealed special conditions that must be fulfilled in order to obtain stable latex particles in the nanometer size range. The results clearly show that the formation and the stability of this kind of hydrophilic latex particle strongly depends on the hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of both the initiating radicals and the stabilizers. Hydrophobic initiators in combination with sodium alkyl sulfate surfactants of proper chain lengths or ionic surface-active initiators lead to stable latex particles. In the latter case the particles keep their identity and spherical shape even after drying of the aqueous dispersion.     

Substituent effects in the catalytic chain transfer polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate

The catalytic chain transfer behavior of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was studied in bulk at 40 and 60 °C. The chain transfer constant of cobaloxime boron fluoride (COBF) was found to be 6×10² at 40 and 60 °C, which corresponds to chain transfer rate coefficients of about 1.2×10⁶ and 2.0×10⁶ l mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. These values are about 10-15 times lower than those found previously for methyl methacrylate (MMA) and this decrease can be conceivably ascribed to the combination of a monomer viscosity effect, which lowers the rate coefficient by a factor of 6-8, and the complexation of the hydroxyl group with the catalyst, which causes an additional lowering by a factor of about two. The latter effect was studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy and additional kinetic studies of the COBF-mediated polymerization of MMA in the presence of ethanol. Similar UV/Vis spectra as in the case of HEMA and a reduction in chain transfer constant by a factor of two were observed.     

Effect of reaction parameters on the dispersion polymerization of 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone

Nonporous hydrogel microspheres 0.1–1.3 μm in diameter were prepared by the dispersion copolymerization of 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and ethylene dimethacrylate as a crosslinking agent. The crosslinking was evidenced by solid state ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. The effect of various parameters including selection of solvent (cyclohexane, butyl acetate), initiator (4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanopentanoic acid), 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile, dibenzoyl peroxide) and stabilizer on the properties of resulting microspheres has been studied. Dynamic light scattering and photographic examination were used for determination of the diameter and polydispersity of microspheres. Increasing concentration of steric stabilizer in the initial polymerization mixture decreased the particle size. The particle size depended on the molecular weight of polystyrene‐block‐hydrogenated polyisoprene stabilizer, but not on the number of PS and polybutadiene blocks in the styrene–butadiene block copolymer stabilizers. Dibenzoyl peroxide used as an initiator resulted in agglomeration of particles. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 653–663, 2000     

含氨基聚甲基丙烯酸羟乙酯树脂对胆红素的吸附性能研究

以交联聚甲基丙烯酸羟乙酯树脂为载体,以己二胺和多乙烯多胺为功能基制备了一系列胆红素吸附剂,研究了它们在不同吸附温度、离子强度和胆红素浓度等条件下,对胆红素的吸附性能的影响.研究表明,该类吸附剂对胆红素具有良好的吸附性能,其中以己二胺和质子化己二胺为功能基的吸附剂对胆红素的吸附作用最佳.     

Kinetics of nanoconfined benzyl methacrylate radical polymerization

The effect of nanoconfinement on the kinetics of benzyl methacrylate radical polymerization is investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. Controlled pore glass (CPG), ordered mesoporous carbons, and mesoporous silica are used as confinement media with pore sizes from 2 to 8 nm. The initial polymerization rate in CPG and mesoporous silica increases relative to the bulk and increases linearly with reciprocal pore size; whereas, the rate in the carbon mesopores decreases linearly with reciprocal pore size; the changes are consistent with the rate being related to the ratio of the pore surface area to pore volume. Induction times are longer for nanoconfined polymerizations, and in the case of CPG and carbon mesopores, autoacceleration occurs earlier, presumably due to the limited diffusivity and lower termination rates for the confined polymer chains. The molecular weight of the polymer synthesized in the nanopores is generally higher than that obtained in the bulk except at the lowest temperatures investigated. The equilibrium conversion under nanoconfinement decreases with decreasing temperature and with confinement size, exhibiting what appears to be a floor temperature at low temperatures.     

Preparation of colored poly(styrene-co-butyl methacrylate) micrometer size beads with narrow size distribution by dispersion polymerization in presence of dyes

The preparation of monodisperse polymer particles formed by a dispersion copolymerization of a system containing styrene, butyl methacrylate, and nonpolymerizable dyes has been studied. Both the polarity of the ethanol–water dispersion medium and the polymerization rate were found to have a significant effect on the particle size. Experimental conditions have been determined that enable the preparation of colored beads having a narrow size distribution. While the benzoyl peroxide initiated polymerization is seriously inhibited by the presence of dyes, polymerization with azobisisobutyronitrile in presence of the black dye Nigrosin affords monodisperse beads in a high yield. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and asymmetric polymerization of a series of methyl‐substituted triphenylmethyl methacrylate

Five novel ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐methyl‐substituted triphenylmethyl methacrylate monomers, such as o‐tolyldiphenylmethyl methacrylate (o‐MeTrMA), di‐o‐tolylphenylmethyl methacrylate (o‐Me₂TrMA), tris‐o‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (o‐Me₃TrMA), tris‐m‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (m‐Me₃TrMA), and tris‐p‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (p‐Me₃TrMA) have been synthesized. The methanolysis rates of these monomers were measured in CDCl₃‐CD₃OD (1:1, v/v) by ¹H NMR spectroscopy at 30 °C. It was found that the order of the methanolysis rates would be TrMA<o‐MeTrMA<o‐Me₂TrMA<o‐Me₃TrMA<m‐Me₃TrMA except p‐Me₃TrMA, which exhibited very good stability to methanolysis. The asymmetric polymerization of these monomers was investigated by chiral anionic complexes as initiators. The results showed that the ability to form a helical chain was effected not only by the types of chiral complex initiators, but also by the position and number of methyl‐substituted groups at the benzene rings of TrMA. The order of the ability of polymerization was o‐MeTrMA >o‐Me₂TrMA>o‐Me₃TrMA and m‐Me₃TrMA> p‐Me₃TrMA>o‐Me₃TrMA. These differences would be attributed to the different sizes and “propeller” steric structures of the bulky side groups. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 430–436, 2001     

Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres prepared by dispersion polymerization in the presence of electrostatically stabilized ferrofluids

Fine magnetite nanoparticles, both electrostatically stabilized and nonstabilized, were synthesized in situ by precipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) salts in alkaline medium. Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres with core‐shell structure, where Fe₃O₄ is the magnetic core and PGMA is the shell, were obtained by dispersion polymerization initiated with 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), 4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA), or ammonium persulfate (APS) in ethanol containing poly(vinylpyrrolidone) or ethylcellulose stabilizer in the presence of iron oxide ferrofluid. The average microsphere size ranged from 100 nm to 2 μm. The effects of the nature of ferrofluid, polymerization temperature, monomer, initiator, and stabilizer concentration on the PGMA particle size and polydispersity were studied. The particles contained 2–24 wt % of iron. AIBN produced larger microspheres than APS or ACVA. Polymers encapsulating electrostatically stabilized iron oxide particles contained lower amounts of oxirane groups compared with those obtained with untreated ferrofluid. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5827–5837, 2004     

Fourier transform infrared study of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) PHEMA

 Fourier transform infrared spectra in the wave number range 450–4500 cm^-1 of poly (2-hydroxy-ethyl methacrylate) PHEMA have been studied as functions of water content in the range 38–2.6 wt% and of temperature in the range 300–373 K. The results show changes in the intensities of the stretching frequencies of the carbonyl band, H–O–H bending vibration and O–H stretching vibration with a change in water content and temperature. The results confirm two types of water in the hydrogel polymer system, tightly bound water and loosely bound water. At low concentrations, water is mainly hydrogen-bonded to the polymer and is described as tightly bound water. However, at water concentrations greater than 18% by weight, part of the water exists in a different form and behaves as loosely bound water. For concentrations over 30%, there is some evidence that excess water behaves more loosely bound somewhat like bulk water. Infrared spectroscopic results supplement those obtained by means of NMR by Smyth et al. and by dielectric spectroscopy. Our results also show that some of the water continues to be hydrogen bonded to the polymer until at least a temperature of 373 K when the bulk water should have evaporated. FTIR is found to yield greater site-specific insight into the local behaviour of water in hydrated PHEMA. Received: 22 August 1996 Accepted: 11 November 1996