Jw. Kim et al., Monodisperse micron-sized macroporous poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) particles by seeded polymerization, COLLOID P S, 279(2), 2001, pp. 146-152
Macroporous poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) particles were produced in a mi
cron-size range by two-stage swelling and continuous polymerization. The mo
lecular weight of the polystyrene seed particles was controlled by incorpor
ating a urethane acrylate. It was found that the porosity of the particles
produced by the seeded polymerization was dependent on the molecular weight
of the seed polymer. As the molecular weight of the polystyrene seed incre
ased, the porous particles produced became macroporous. Interestingly, the
high molecular weight of the polystyrene seed had a negligible influence on
the change of porosity of the seeded polymerized particles. It is believed
that the viscosity of the swollen droplet phase remained pretty high with
the change in composition because the polystyrene seed copolymerized with u
rethane cacrylate had many side chains.