The interfacial photoreaction: an efficient strategy to create functional polymer particles

Abstract

Functionalized colloidal particles are fascinating due to their huge range of potential and reported applications. In this focus review, the recent development of a novel “interfacial photoreaction” for the preparation of functional polymer particles is summarized. Recently, we discovered the phenomenon of the interfacial selective cross-linking of spherical polymer particles bearing photoreactive groups, and this reaction was successfully used to synthesize hollow polymer particles. As these hollow polymer particles have a cross-linked shell, solvent exchange can lead to the posteriori encapsulation of various molecules, yielding capsule particles. Functionalization of hollow/capsule particles was successfully achieved by introducing functional groups to the parent spherical polymer particles. In addition, the spatially controlled interfacial photoreaction enabled the formation of non-spherical bowl-shaped polymer particles. Furthermore, the photoinduced interfacial cross-linking strategy was successfully combined with molecular imprinting, and functional polymer particles with a molecular recognition capability were developed by utilizing the novel photoinduced post-cross-linked molecular imprinting method. We believe that photoinduced interfacial cross-linking will allow for the creation of new functional polymer particles suitable for a range of versatile applications. Functionalized colloidal particles are fascinating due to their huge range of potential and reported applications. In this focus review, the recent development of a novel “interfacial photoreaction” for the preparation of functional polymer particles is summarized. This approach allows for the direct fabrication of hollow, capsular, non-spherical polymer particles from spherical polymer particles. Furthermore, the ability of this approach to synthesize morphology controlled particles possessing sophisticated functions, such as stimuli responsiveness and molecular recognition capability, was also described in this paper.