Preparation of polystyrene nanoparticles including fluorescent and hydrophobic materials by polymerization at phase inversion temperature

Abstract

The polystyrene nanoparticles incorporating hydrophobic and fluorescent pyrene was successfully prepared by a direct polymerization at phase inversion temperature. The average diameter of the prepared polystyrene nanoparticles is around 30 nm or less: 22 nm. This preparation does not require any strong agitation, which is necessary for the usual mini‐emulsion polymerization, and does not need the large amount of surfactant as much as the usual microemulsion polymerization. The incorporation of pyrene in the prepared polystyrene particles was confirmed by fluorescence spectra. This developed method is superior to the addition of pyrene to polystyrene particles prepared, which causes large coagulum and gives polystyrene particles with lower weight fraction of pyrene. The developed method is expected to be applicable for preparation of polymer particles including various hydrophobic materials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.