Mono‐ or narrow disperse poly(methacrylate‐co‐divinylbenzene) microspheres by precipitation polymerization

Precipitation copolymerizations of five mono-vinyl methacrylic monomers including methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl methacrylate (BMA), dodecyl methacrylate (DMA), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with divinylbenzene (DVB), in a wide range of comonomer composition, were carried out in acetonitrile to form mono- or narrow disperse crosslinked copolymer microspheres. In addition, two divinyl methacrylic monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), were also copolymerized with DVB, and optionally a third comonomer (GMA or HEMA), to yield similar microspheres in acetonitrile. The possibility of creating porosity was explored for some of the copolymer particles. All these microspheres have clean surfaces due to the absence of any added steric or ionic stabilizer, and they are in the size of the micrometer range, varying from 1 to 7 µm, depending on the type and content of the methacrylic comonomer. Particle size distribution, surface morphology, internal texture, and porosity properties of these particles were studied by a Coulter Multisizer, a scanning electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope, and an Autosorb-1. The effects of comonomers on microsphere formation and morphology are described. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2899–2907, 1999