Expandable microspheres and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

Expandable microspheres formed by suspension polymerization using a shot growth method are provided. The microspheres are formed of a continuous, gas impermeable shell surrounding a blowing agent. The shell includes a first polymer layer formed from primary monomers and a second layer that includes a chemically reactive monomer or a high Tg monomer. To form the microspheres, the primary monomers are polymerized in a reaction vessel to an approximate 90% polymerization, at which time a secondary monomer that is either a monomer having a Tg of at least 85° C. or a chemically reactive monomer, is added to the reaction vessel to drive the polymerization reaction to completion. The outer layer thus contains either a larger amount of the high Tg monomer or a chemically reactive monomer that possesses the ability to covalently bond a cationic species. The microspheres may be used in papermaking processes to increase the paper bulk.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.