Abstract.
We discuss a dispersion polymerization procedure for preparing monodisperse and micron-sized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles in hexanes with methacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane stabilizers. We investigate the effects of the stabilizer molecular weight, stabilizer concentration, and monomer concentration on the particle size and polydispersity. We find that a minimum molecular weight of 10 000 g/mol is necessary to synthesize colloidally stable PMMA dispersions. The particle polydispersity is minimal (≤5%) for stabilizer to monomer weight ratios of 0.02 to 0.1, while PMMA particles prepared under conditions outside this range are polydisperse. The particle diameter can be varied from 0.4 to 1.5 µm by appropriate choices of stabilizer and monomer concentrations. Stable PMMA suspensions can be prepared at up to 26.3% solids. The dispersions are stable in most liquid aliphatics, and are monodisperse enough to form ordered domains at high concentration. This single-stage synthesis, requiring only commercially available materials, may be of interest to those seeking a simple way to prepare highly monodisperse non-aqueous dispersions in the micron size range.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Biswas R, Sigalas MM, Subramania G, Ho KM (1998) Phys Rev B 57:3701
Goodwin JW, Ottewill RH (1991) J Chem Soc Faraday T 87:357
Holland BT, Blanford CF, Stein A (1998) Science 281:538
Wijnhoven JEGJ, Vos WL (1998) Science 281:802
Barrett KEJ, Imperial Chemical Industries ltd. Paints Division (1974) Dispersion polymerization in organic media. Wiley. London
Ober CK (1990) Makromol Chem-M Symp 35–6:87
Murray JG, Schwab FC (1982) Ind Eng Chem Prod Res Develop 21:93
Awan MA, Dimonie VL, El-Aasser MS (1996) J Polym Sci A-Polym Chem 34:2633
Awan MA, Dimonie VL, El-Aasser MS (1996) J Polym Sci A-Polym Chem 34:2651
Kim J, Jeong SY, Kim KU, Ahn YH, Quirk RP (1996) J Polym Sci A-Polym Chem 34:3277
Winnik MA, Lukas R, Chen WF, Furlong P, Croucher MD (1987) Makromol Chem-M Symp 10:483
Barrett KEJ, Thomas HR (1969) J Polym Sci A-Polym Chem 7:2621
Antl L, Goodwin JW, Hill RD, Ottewill RH, Owens SM, Papworth S, Waters JA (1986) Colloids Surf 17:67
Dawkins JV, Taylor G (1979) Polymer 20:599
Dawkins JV, Shakir SA, Croucher TG (1987) Eur Polym J 23:173
Stejskal J, Kratochvil P, Konak C (1991) Polymer 32:2435
Stejskal J, Kratochvil P (1992) Makromol Chem-M Symp 58:221
Everett DH, Stageman JF (1977) Colloid Polym Sci 255:293
Everett DH, Stageman JF (1978) Faraday Discuss: 230
Pelton RH, Osterroth A, Brook MA (1990) J Colloid Interface Sci 137:120
Pelton R, Osterroth A, Brook MA (1991) J Colloid Interface Sci 147:523
Shaffer KA, Jones TA, Canelas DA, DeSimone JM, Wilkinson SP (1996) Macromolecules 29:2704
O'Neill ML, Yates MZ, Johnston KP, Smith CD, Wilkinson SP (1998) Macromolecules 31:2838
O'Neill ML, Yates MZ, Johnston KP, Smith CD, Wilkinson SP (1998) Macromolecules 31:2848
Yates MZ, Shah PS, Johnston KP, Lim KT, Webber S (2000) J Colloid Interface Sci 227:176
Giles MR, Hay JN, Howdle SM, Winder RJ (2000) Polymer 41:6715
Srinivasan SA, Hedrick JL, McKean DR, Miller RD, Hilbom JG (1998) Polymer 39:1497
Pathmamanoharan C, Groot K, Dhont JKG (1997) Colloid Polym Sci 275:897
Doi M, Chen D (1989) J Chem Phys 90:5271
Acknowledgments.
This work was supported by US Army grant number DAAG55–9710372, National Science Foundation grant number CTS-9871970, and by the MRL program of the National Science Foundation under award number DMR96–32716.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klein, S.M., Manoharan, V.N., Pine, D.J. et al. Preparation of monodisperse PMMA microspheres in nonpolar solvents by dispersion polymerization with a macromonomeric stabilizer. Colloid Polym Sci 282, 7–13 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-003-0915-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-003-0915-0