Synthesis of core-corona polymer hybrids with a raspberry-like structure by the heterocoagulated pyridinium reaction.

A core-corona polymer hybrid with a raspberry-like structure was synthesized via the heterocoagulated pyridium reaction between the pyridyl group of poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)@poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co- vinylpyridine) (poly(EGDMA-co-MAA)@poly(EGDMA-co-VPy)) core-shell small microspheres and the chloromethyl group of poly(divinylbenzene-co-chloromethyl styrene) (poly(DVB-co-CMSt)) microspheres, in which poly(EGDMA-co-MAA)@poly(EGDMA-co-VPy) acted as the corona and poly(DVB-co-CMSt) behaved as the core. The control coverage of the corona particles on the surfaces of core microspheres for the polymer hybrid was studied in detail through the adjustment of the mass ratio between the core and corona particles. The effects of the pH and solvents on the stability of the raspberry-like core-corona hybrids were investigated. The water static angle on the surface of polycarbonate (PC) film was studied using a contact angle system. The polymer particles and the resultant heterocoagulated raspberry-like hybrids were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nature of the heterocoagulation between the core microspheres and corona particles was identified as the covalent pyridium reaction with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.