Effect of stabilizer on formation of "onionlike" multilayered polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) particles.

The effect of the kind of stabilizers on the formation of "onionlike" multilayered polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) particles was studied. The release of toluene from PS-b-PMMA/toluene droplets dispersed in aqueous medium resulted in the formation of onionlike multilayered structures in the particles for all stabilizers used. However, the surface composition of the particles was strongly affected by the kind of stabilizer.

Multilayered polymer microspheres by thermal imprinting during microsphere growth.

Modulation of the polymerization temperature in precipitation polymerizations was used to form onion-type polymer microspheres consisting of multiple nested layers. Specifically, the copolymerization of chloromethylstyrene and divinylbenzene-55 in acetonitrile, at temperatures ramping between 65 and 75 degrees C, led to monodisperse, cross-linked microspheres of about 10 mum diameter that have radial density profiles closely reflecting the thermal profiles used. This thermal imprinting is attributed to the copolymer formed being close to its theta point during the polymerization.