Polyhedral Vinyl Polymer Particles Synthesized Via Solvent-Free Radical Polymerization

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Colloid Science

Background:

• Liquid marbles (LMs) are versatile liquid droplets coated by solid particles.
• Controlling the shape of LMs and derived polymer particles is crucial for advanced applications.
• Previous methods for fabricating shaped polymer particles often involve complex procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for fabricating cubic liquid marbles (LMs).
• To investigate the relationship between liquid properties and LM formability.
• To synthesize cubic polymer particles from LMs via UV-induced polymerization.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of cubic LMs using vinyl monomers and mm-sized polymer plates.
• Investigation of surface tension effects on LM formation.
• Solvent-free synthesis of polymer particles through free-radical polymerization of LMs under UV irradiation.
• Control over polymer particle morphology by adjusting plate number, shape, and LM coalescence.

Main Results:

• Successfully created cubic LMs from vinyl monomers with surface tensions ranging from 42.7 to 40.3 mN m^-1.
• Demonstrated the synthesis of cubic polymer particles via UV-initiated polymerization of these LMs.
• Showcased the ability to produce various solid shapes (Platonic, rectangular) by controlling LM parameters.

Conclusions:

• Cubic LMs can be effectively fabricated and serve as templates for polymer particles.
• The method allows for precise control over the morphology of the resulting polymer particles.
• This technique offers a promising route for producing custom-shaped polymer particles for diverse applications.