Synthesis of polymeric core-shell particles using surface-initiated living free-radical polymerization

An easy and novel approach to the synthesis of functionalized nanostructured polymeric particles is reported. The surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of the crosslinking reagent 2-ethyl-2-(hydroxy methyl)-1,3-propanediol trimethacrylate was used to in situ crosslink colloid micelles to produce stable, crosslinked polymeric particles (diameter size similar to 100-300 nm). A functionalized methacrylate monomer, 2-methacryloxyethyl-2'-bromoisobutyrate, containing a dormant atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) living free-radical initiator, which is termed an inimer (initiator/monomer), was added to the solution during the polymerization to functionalize the surface of the particles with ATRP initiator groups. The surface-initiated ATRP of different monomers was then carried out to produce core-shell-type polymeric nanostructures. This versatile technique can be easily employed for the design of a wide variety of polymeric shells surrounding a crosslinked core while keeping good control over the sizes of the nanostructures. The particles were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and Raman spectroscopy. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.