FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MICROGEL SYNTHESIS BY INVERSE EMULSION METHOD

Abstract

Microgels represent a unique class of compounds that combine the properties of such classes of compounds as colloids, macromolecules and surfactants in a unique way. Microgels are widely used for wastewater treatment, as drug delivery systems, for drying biodiesel, in tissue regeneration and implantation, in chromatography, etc. At this point, such methods of microgel synthesis as the precipitation method, suspension polymerisation and the emulsion method have been developed, which have become traditional in the synthesis of microgels. This publication reviews the inverse emulsion method for microgel synthesis based on polyacrylamide and its derivatives. This method was chosen due to a number of advantages, such as a high degree of monomer conversion, the ability to control the granulometric composition of gel particles during synthesis, a simplified drying procedure for the finished product, etc. The article describes the synthesis features that affect the size and shape of microgels, describes the main factors to consider when planning an inverse emulsion synthesis; shows the difference between macroemulsion, nanoemulsion and microemulsion. The article also presents some aspects of the synthesis of microgel based on acrylamide and its derivatives: the main free-radical initiators are listed; monomers that affect microgel properties are described. This review may be of interest to specialists who are just starting research in this field. Based on this publication, the reader will be able to plan and conduct an experiment on the synthesis of polyacrylamide-based microgels by the inverse emulsion method. For citation: Burin D.A., Rozhkova Yu.A., Kazantsev A.L. Fundamental principles of microgel synthesis by inverse emulsion method. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2023. V. 66. N 3. P. 6-17. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20236603.6732.