A useful poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock crosslinker in a diffusion-controlled polymerization method

Monodisperse micron-sized polystyrene particles crosslinked with a novel po ly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) tri-block dio l diacrylate (t-BDDA) were produced via simple dispersion polymerization. I t was established that the monomer-diffusible surface characteristics of pr imary particles played a decisive role in producing the monodisperse crossl inked polymer particles. We named this concept a diffusion-controlled polym erization method, DPM. Here in this study, particularly, t-BDDA is proposed as a very useful crosslinker capable of self-assembling and crosslinking i n the process of particle formation and particle growth.