MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMER BEADS - SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION USINGA LIQUID PERFLUOROCARBON AS THE DISPERSING PHASE

A suspension polymerization technique suitable for molecular imprintin g is described, based on the use of a liquid perfluorocarbon as the di spersing phase, This dispersant does not interfere with the interactio ns between functional monomers and print molecules required for the re cognition process during molecular imprinting, The method produces pol ymer beads, with almost quantitative yield, which can be used after on ly a simple washing step, An acrylate polymer with perfluorocarbon and poly(oxyethylene) ester groups was used to stabilize an emulsion of f unctional monomer, cross-linker, print molecule, initiator, and poroge nic solvent in perfluoro(methylcyclohexane), Initiation of polymerizat ion by UV irradiation resulted in polymer beads, The average bead size could be controlled between about 50 and 5 mu m by varying the amount of stabilizing polymer. SEM of the beads indicated spherical particle s with morphology typical of beads made by suspension polymerization, The technique was applicable to a range of conditions typically used f or molecular imprinting, A detailed chromatographic study of the polym er beads confirmed that alpha values and resolution factors were simil ar to those achieved with traditional ground and sieved imprinted poly mers. Small (5 mu m) beaded packings gave low back pressure and rapid diffusion, giving good separation even at high now rates.