Fabrication of macroporous microspheres with core-shell structure for negative chromatography purification of virus

•Macroporous polymer microspheres with core-shell structure was synthesized by ATRP.•The inert shell and active cored was designed through separately modification.•The pores of shell were 100–200 nm smaller than core of 500–900 nm.•The core-shell microspheres can purification of AIV in negative chromatography.•The core-shell microspheres can be used as matrix for different chromatographic modes.