Seeded precipitation polymerization is well known as the one of the most major methods for the synthesis of hard core-hydrogel shell particles, and it is needed to control the shell structure which is important for various applications. In this study, the effect of the polymerization conditions, such as monomer and cross-linker concentrations, was investigated. These experiments revealed that the lack of cross-linking points at low monomer concentrations and the formation of secondary particles at high monomer concentrations hinder the introduction of hydrogel shells into core particles (Figure). The dependence of the monomer concentration on the shell thickness can be described by a linear exponential function, and therefore the monomer concentration and the cross-linker concentration required to obtain the desired shell thickness and cross-linking density can be predicted. Moreover, the combination of seed precipitation polymerization and feeding method allowed further control of shell thickness. In this presentation, ellipsoidal microgels with core-shell structure will also be discussed.

Controlling the shell structure of hard core – hydrogel shell particles

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