Synthesis of monodisperse poly(divinylbenzene) microspheres

Abstract Highly crosslinked monodisperse poly(divinylbenzene) microspheres were produced by precipitation polymerization with acetonitrile as solvent. The radical initiators AIBN, BPO, and ADVN were used. The process does not require stabilizers of any type, and produces monodisperse particles with diameters between 2 and 5 μm, depending on the conditions. These microspheres do not swell or dissolve in any common solvent, and have clean, stabilizer‐free surfaces. The particle formation and growth mechanism is proposed to resemble that of dispersion polymerization, except that the particles are stabilized against coagulation by their rigid, crosslinked surfaces rather than by added stabilizers. Spherical particles were formed only at effective crosslinker/monomer or divinyl/monovinyl ratios larger than 1 : 2. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.