| Abstract: | Monodisperse polystyrene latex particles with molecular weight on the order of 106 were used as inert diluents for the preparation of monodisperse porous styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer particles via seeded emulsion polymerization techniques. Mercury porosimetry and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms were used to assess pore structure and pore size distribution. Pore size distribution was very sensitive to the molecular weight of the polystyrene latex particles used as inert diluent. Qualitative evidence from the techniques used indicated that the monodisperse porous polymer particles were macroporous (average pore diameter > 500 Å) in nature. As the molecular weight of the linear polymer decreased, the porous structure of the polymer particles ranged in complexity across the spectrum of macro/mesopore structures. Scanning electron microscope results indicated the existence of voids between the microspheres and their agglomerates within the porous polymer particle, and nitrogen adsorption isotherms confirmed that the pores were due to interstices between these crosslinked microspheres and agglomerates. |
