Premium
Preparation of Polystyrene Particles by Dispersion Polymerization in an Ionic Liquid
Author(s) -
Minami Hideto,
Yoshida Kazuhiro,
Okubo Masayoshi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200700810
Subject(s) - dispersion polymerization , dispersity , styrene , polystyrene , ionic liquid , materials science , polymer chemistry , polymerization , thermal stability , polymer , radical polymerization , particle size , chemical engineering , dispersion (optics) , chemistry , copolymer , organic chemistry , composite material , catalysis , physics , optics , engineering
Abstract Submicron‐sized monodisperse polystyrene (PS) particles were successfully prepared by dispersion polymerization of styrene in an ionic liquid, N , N ‐diethyl‐ N ‐methyl‐ N ‐(2‐methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([DEME][TFSI]) at 70 °C with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabilizer. At the optimum PVP and styrene concentrations with regard to preparation of stable polymer particles, the number‐average diameter and coefficient of variation were 350 nm and 5.7%, respectively. The particle size increased with a decrease in the PVP concentration and an increase in the styrene concentration. Moreover, we succeeded in producing PS particles by thermal polymerization in the absence of a radical initiator at 130 °C in [DEME][TFSI] using a conventional reactor (not autoclave) utilizing the advantages of non‐volatility and thermal stability of the ionic liquid.