Colloidosomes as micron-sized polymerisation vessels to create supracolloidal interpenetrating polymer network reinforced capsules.

Supracolloidal interpenetrating polymer network reinforced capsules are prepared by using micron-sized colloidosomes of poly(methyl methacrylate--divinylbenzene) microgels as reaction vessels. An interpenetrating polymer network as scaffold is generated radical polymerisation of the interior phase to produce hollow supracolloidal structures with a raspberry core-shell morphology. Their flexibility is tailored by variation of the monomer feed composition.

High molar mass polymers by cationic polymerisation in emulsion and miniemulsion.

The generation of poly(p-methoxystyrene) with a molar mass of several thousand g mol(-1) by cationic polymerisation in emulsion, is described here for the first time. Such a striking result was achieved by carrying out the polymerisation inside monomer droplets, thus preventing fast transfer reactions with water.