DETECTION OF NANOSCALE EVENTS IN DISPERSED POLYMER PARTICLES CONTAINING A CHARGE-TRANSFER FLUORESCENCE PROBE

A probe molecule, which shows an unusually large change in fluorescent properties in response to changes in its environment, was introduced into a monodisperse polystyrene latex. Upon addition of low-molecular- weight compounds, the ensuing swelling process of the latex could be f ollowed via the changes in the fluorescence spectrum of the probe mole cule. Polymerization reactions of monomers, introduced into the partic les, could also be monitored by means of this approach. Using glycidyl methacrylate as the monomer led to the formation of particles in which two distinctly different surroundings could be detected after such a polymerization. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.