Production of micron-sized monodispersed polymer particles by seeded polymerization for the dispersion of highly monomer-swollen particles prepared with submicron-sized polymer seed particles utilizing the dynamic swelling method

For the purpose of extending the size range of polymer seed particles used in "dynamic swelling method" (DSM), first it was verified theoretically that the submicron-sized polymer particles produced by emulsion polymerization can also absorb a large amount of monomer by DSM in both equilibrium and kinetic control states. Next, on the basis of the theoretical results, experimentally about 2.6 μm-sized styrene-swollen polystyrene (PS) particles were prepared utilizing DSM in the presence of 0.64 μm-sized monodispersed PS seed particles produced by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. Moreover, 2.5 μm-sized monodispersed PS particles were produced by the addition of cupric chloride as a water-soluble inhibitor to depress the by-production of submicron-sized PS particles in the seeded polymerization at 30°C with 2,2′-azobis(4-methoxy-2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) initiator. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2513–2519, 1998