Synthesis of raspberry-like poly(styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) particles via a one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization process accompanied by phase separation.

We herein report a facile method to prepare raspberry-like poly(styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) [P(S-GMA)] particles with controllable structure via a one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization process accompanied by phase separation. In this method, corona particles with a size of 10-20 nm were produced in situ in the later polymerization stage by the migrating of S-enriched polymers from GMA-enriched core particles. The size of the corona particles and the roughness of the raspberry-like particles can be easily controlled by adjusting the amount of styrene (S), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and divinylbenzene (DVB). The structure of raspberry-like P(S-GMA) particles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. A possible mechanism of the formation of raspberry-like particles was proposed.