A theoretical and experimental investigation of the size distribution of polystyrene microspheres by seeded...

To clarify the size distribution relationship between the final fabricated beads and the initial seed particles, a theoretically investigation according to the principle of the ideal monomer absorption process was employed. Monodisperse micron-sized polystyrene beads were produced by seeded polymerization, and the size-growth process was experimentally measured. In the meanwhile, the diameter and coefficient variation rates of the final fabricated beads to the initial seed particles were also investigated. Compared the measured size distribution with the estimated, it was found that the coefficient variation was enlarged due to the inhomogeneous parameters, such as larger size distribution of seed particles, higher temperature rise rate and shorter swelling time of monomer. Therefore, the more homogeneous beads can be generated by selection of more uniform initial seed particles and meticulous adjusting synthesis parameters. Moreover, this facile and robust estimation method can be potentially employed in the analysis of other polymerization methods of dispersion polymerization and emulsion polymerization, and among others.