Effect of GMA on monodisperse epoxy-functionalized polymer microsphere particles by dispersion copolymerization of styrene with glycidyl methacrylate

Monodisperse poly[styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)] microparticles we re synthesized by dispersion copolymerization in a water-ethanol medium. Th e effects of various polymerization parameters on the particle size and siz e distribution of the dispersion copolymerization were investigated. The di spersion of polymer particles decreased when the GMA was added if the polys tyrene homopolymer particles were polydispersed. The GMA acted as a comonom er as well as a costabilizer in the dispersion copolymerization of styrene with GMA. The solvency of the monomer increased with the concentration of G MA in the polymerization medium because GMA has a greater hydrophilicity th an styrene, resulting in a large particle size and a slow polymerization ra te. From an HCl-dioxane analysis of the poly(styrene-co-GMA) microparticles , great amounts of epoxy groups were detected after the completion of dispe rsion copolymerization. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.