“Schizomorphic” Emulsion Copolymerization Particles

Abstract

Cryo-electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and light microscopy investigations provide experimental evidence that amphiphilic emulsion copolymerization particles change their morphology in dependence on concentration. The shape of the particles is spherical at solids content above 1%, but it changes to rod-like, ring-like, and web-like structures at lower concentrations. In addition, the shape and morphology of these particles at low concentrations are not fixed but very flexible and vary with time between spheres, flexible pearl-necklace structures, and stretched rods.

From particles to stabilizing blocks – polymerized ionic liquids in aqueous heterophase polymerization

“…For amphiphilic block copolymer particles under consideration it is important to bear in mind that the morphology as observed by electron microscopy in the dried state must not represent the dispersed state. 64 Typically, hydrophilic polymer chains which stabilize the particles in the dispersed state, collapse in the dried state onto the hydrophobic core. Thus, sizing via dynamic light scattering and analysis of electron micrographs lead to different results.…”

“…The properties of the PIL stabilizer and the PRH lead to the assumption that the morphology as observed with common TEM in the dried state might not reect the particles' morphology in the dispersed state 64 and might cause huge differences between the hydrodynamic average particle size and the average resulting from enumerating TEM micrographs. Additionally, the properties of the hydrophobic block, particularly the glass transition temperature (T g ), inuence the appearance of the dried particles on the TEM grids.…”

Makromolekulare Chemie 2011

“…Tauer und Mitarbeiter veröffentlichten erstmals Ergebnisse über “schizomorphe” Partikel, die über eine Emulsionscopolymerisation hergestellt wurden 19. Kryogene Elektronenmikroskopie‐Untersuchungen zeigten eine Veränderung der Partikelmorphologie als Funktion der Konzentration.…”

Swelling-Induced Deformation of Spherical Latex Particles

“…Nevertheless, several ways to synthesize nonspherical particles are known which can be subdivided into two basic approaches: (I) the direct route via polymerization and (II) the modification of preformed particles without polymerization. Only a few recently published papers covering this topic should be mentioned here. − Potential application possibilities for nonspherical or anisotropic polymeric particles are also mentioned in these papers and include biomedical and electronic areas. Here, the crucial point is that for certain applications of colloidal particles not only size but also shape matters.…”