[Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres prepared by seed swelling and suspension polymerization]

A series of molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres(MIPMs) were prepared by seed swelling and suspension polymerization method in aqueous system using tyrosine as printing molecules, methacrylic acid as functional monomers and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as cross-linkers. The morphology including the size, size distribution, pore and pore distribution of the polymer beads was analyzed by scanning electron microscope(SEM). The major factors that influence these properties of the beads are discussed. The molecule selecting property of the MIPMs was detected through liquid chromatography. The results showed that uniform-sized spherical MIPMs had been prepared in aqueous system by seed swelling and suspension polymerization method, and its surface was distributed with pores between 1 micron to 10 microns. The average bead size was adjusted from about 50 microns to 400 microns by changing the stirring speed and the amount of seeds used during the preparation. The prepared MIPMs exhibited a considerable tendency to adsorb tyrosine, the printing molecules selectively, and the separation factor was up to 1.82 when phenylalanine was chosen as the competitive molecules.