Synthesis of poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine) microspheres via dispersion polymerization: Effect of the concentration of 4-vinylpyridine

✍ Scribed by Hyekyung Han; Chang Kook Hong; Jinho Hong; Dong Wha Park; Sang Eun Shim

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 449 KB
• Volume: 111
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.29298

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Amphiphilic copolymer microspheres of poly(styrene‐co‐4‐vinylpyridine) were prepared by dispersion polymerization in an alcohol/water medium. The synthesis of poly(styrene‐co‐4‐vinylpyridine) microparticles was successfully carried out, and the latexes had a spherical morphology with good monodispersity. The degree of conversion in the early stage of polymerization decreased with increasing 4‐vinylpyridine (4VP) monomer content, but the final conversions were similar (>95%). The copolymerization rate decreased with increasing 4VP content, and a broad particle size distribution was observed with 20 wt % 4VP because of the prolonged nucleation time. With the 4VP concentration increasing, the molecular weight of the copolymer microspheres decreased, and the glass‐transition temperature of the copolymers increased; this indicated that all the copolymers were random and homogeneous. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009