Non-spherical, highly uniform polystyrene particles as colloidal building blocks
Technology Overview:
The Lee Lab has expanded on previous research on Janus particles to develop a method for synthesizing non-spherical particles with uniform shape using seeded emulsion polymerization. Linear polystyrene particles are used as a seed for emulsion polymerization of a linear sacrificial polymer that is removed through acid hydrolysis to generate non-spherical polystyrene particles. Polymerization occurs upon placing the emulsion in an oil bath. The organic phase is removed to yield intermediate Janus particles, where one side is polystyrene and the other side is the sacrificial polymer that is subsequently removed.
Particle shape is determined by interfacial tension among the three phases of polystyrene, sacrificial polymer, and surfactant. Biconvex, plato-convex and concavo-convex particles can be produced by selecting different sacrificial polymers and surfactants, as well as by adjusting the polymer volume ratio.
Advantages:
- Scalable synthesis of diverse colloid building blocks
- Tunable particle shapes
- Uniform particles
- Final particle shape predicted by simulating interfacial tension of intermediate Janus particles
Applications:
- Surfactants
- Colloids
- Photonic crystals
- Study of particle self-assembly, packing, and mechanical properties
On top, synthesis of non-spherical polystyrene (PS) particles by seeded polymerization followed by acid hydrolysis. On bottom, various shapes including biconvex, plato-convex and concavo-convex particles that can be generated based on this method.
Stage of Development:
Proof-of-concept particle synthesis at lab scale
Reference Media:
Manuscript in preparation
Case ID:
17-8080-tpNCS
Web Published:
2/8/2017
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