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Polymer Microspheres Prepared by Water-Borne Thiol-Ene Suspension Photopolymerization
Olivia Z Durham1, Sitaraman Krishnan2, Devon A Shipp1
1Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science and Center for Advanced Materials Processing, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699-5810, United States.
ACS Macro Letters
|May 24, 2022
Summary
This study introduces water-borne suspension-like photopolymerization for thiol-ene reactions, creating uniform spherical particles. This novel method offers controlled particle size through adjustable parameters like homogenization energy and surfactant concentration.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Colloid Science
Background:
- Thiol-ene polymerization typically occurs under specific conditions not common in water-borne systems.
- Previous research has not explored colloidal thiol-ene polymerizations in aqueous media.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of thiol-ene polymerization in a water-borne suspension-like system.
- To investigate the formation of spherical polymer particles via this novel method.
- To understand the influence of various experimental parameters on particle size and formation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a step-growth photopolymerization mechanism under ambient conditions.
- Employed specific monomers: triallyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6 (1N,3H,5H)-trione (TTT) and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP).
- Investigated parameters including photoinitiator, surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate - SDS), cosolvent (chloroform or toluene), surfactant concentration, homogenization energy, and cosolvent amount.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced spherical polymer particles ranging from submicrometers to hundreds of micrometers.
- Demonstrated that particle size is inversely dependent on homogenization energy (mechanical shear).
- Observed that increased surfactant or cosolvent concentrations also lead to smaller spherical particles.
Conclusions:
- Thiol-ene polymerization can be effectively conducted in a water-borne suspension-like photopolymerization system.
- Particle formation is driven by suspension-like polymerization mechanisms.
- Experimental parameters offer control over particle size, enabling tailored microsphere synthesis.
