Generalizing the polymerization conditions for the production of monodisperse polymeric particles via dispersion polymerization

Abstract

In this study, the preparation of various methacrylic particles with monodisperse size via dispersion polymerization in polar media was discussed. The effect of various polymerization conditions such as polarity of the medium, monomer, stabilizer, and initiator concentration, polymerization temperature, and initiator type on the size and size distribution of these particles was evaluated. The experimental results showed that, with a decrease in the difference between medium solubility parameter (MSP) and polymer solubility parameter (PSP), stabilizer concentration and with an increase in monomer content size of the particles increased and size distribution of them became broader. The obtained results showed that the particle size and size distribution of various polymers were different functions of initiator concentration. It means that, for the production of monodisperse particles, specific amount of initiator is needed for each type of the polymers. Moreover, it was observed that the size and size distribution of the particles with higher polarity were more sensitive to changing the polarity of the medium, and the size distribution of the particles with lower glass transition temperature (T g) is more sensitive to changing the stabilizer concentration which is because of less stability of them. Furthermore, to our surprise, the obtained results showed that, in MSP-PSP of 18.5 MPa0.5, size and size distribution of all types of the particles became equivalent.