Fabrication of Ternary Hybrid Colloids via In‐Situ Polymerization at the Interface of Oil/Water Emulsion

Abstract

This article describes a simple method to fabricate ternary hybrid colloids by using snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids as nucleuses at the interface of oil/water emulsion. The ternary hybrid colloids are composed of three parts with asymmetric compositions and constructions, SiO2 hemisphere with PEO groups, disc‐like or ring‐like cross‐linked poly(4‐vinylbenzyl chloride), and PS hollow sphere. In a certain condition, snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids, deionized water, divinylbenzene, 4‐vinylbenzyl chloride, and n‐alkane are mixed to form homogenous and stable oil/water emulsion. The snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids are vertically situated at the interface of oil/water emulsion for their amphiphilicity. At the interface of oil/water emulsion, divinylbenzene and 4‐vinylbenzyl chloride are initiated to polymerize and generate cross‐linked poly(4‐vinylbenzyl chloride) surrounding snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids and thus PEO‐SiO2/PVBC/PS colloids are fabricated. This method provides a versatile and modular tool to fabricate ternary hybrid colloids at the interface of oil/water emulsion.