Colloidal
particles of controlled size are promising building blocks
for the self-assembly of functional materials. Here, we systematically
study a method to synthesize monodisperse, micrometer-sized spheres
from 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TPM) in a benchtop experiment.
Their ease of preparation, smoothness, and physical properties provide
distinct advantages over other widely employed materials such as silica,
polystyrene, and poly(methyl methacrylate). We describe that the spontaneous
emulsification of TPM droplets in water is caused by base-catalyzed
hydrolysis, self-condensation, and the deprotonation of TPM. By studying
the time-dependent size evolution, we find that the droplet size increases
without any detectable secondary nucleation. Resulting TPM droplets
are polymerized to form solid particles. The particle diameter can
be controlled in the range of 0.4 to 2.8 μm by adjusting the
volume fraction of added monomer and the pH of the solution. Droplets
can be grown to diameters of up to 4 μm by adding TPM monomer
after the initial emulsification. Additionally, we characterize various
physical parameters of the TPM particles, and we describe methods
to incorporate several fluorescent dyes.
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