Surface modification of monodisperse-crosslinked polymeric microspheres using a redox initiation system

The surface modification of monodisperse-crosslinked polymeric microspheres was carried out by introducing hydroxyl groups on the surface and utilizing the redox initiation system. The emulsions of the second monomer mixture were swollen into the monodisperse PS seed particles. The hydroxyl groups were introduced by hydrolysis of the acetate groups on the surface of microspheres. Ceric ammonium sulfate in sulfuric acid solution was employed to graft the acrylic monomer onto the polymeric microspheres. The surface characteristics of the surface-modified particles were confirmed by FTIR, SEM, and TGA measurements. From the FE-TEM image, a uniform coating layer was confirmed on the surface of microsphere. In DSC analysis, only an exothermal peak appeared when high content of DVB was used in the seeded polymerization, while, T(g)s emerged after hydrolysis and graft polymerization using the low content of DVB in the second monomer.