Mesoporous polymer colloids
AssigneeAgency for Science, Technology and Research
InventorsYugen Zhang, Jackie Y. Ying, Pranab K. Singapore
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Abstract
The invention provides a particulate material comprising porous polymeric microparticles having a mesoporous structure. A process for making the particles is also presented. The process comprises impregnating a porous microparticulate template material with a liquid comprising one or more monomers. The one or more monomers are then polymerized in and/or on the template material to form a polymer, and the template material is then removed to produce the particulate material.
Claims15
A particulate material comprising porous polymeric microparticles having a mesoporous structure which has a bimodal distribution of pore sizes as measured by nitrogen absorption, said polymeric microparticles comprising a crosslinked polymer comprising crosslinking monomer units and non-crosslinking monomer units, wherein at least one monomer unit has a functional group which is a catalytic group;
- wherein at least one type of the crosslinking monomer units is derived from divinyl benzene, and
- wherein at least one type of the non-crosslinking monomer units is derived from styrene or a derivative thereof.
A process for making a particulate material comprising porous polymeric microparticles, said process comprising:
- a) impregnating a porous microparticulate template material with a liquid comprising one or more monomers comprising a crosslinking monomer and a non-crosslinking monomer, wherein at least one of the monomers comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of a catalytic group and a functional group capable of being converted into a catalytic group;
- b) polymerising the one or more monomers in and/or on the template material to form a polymer;
- and
- c) removing the template material to produce the particulate material, said particulate material comprising the porous polymeric microparticles having a mesoporous structure which has a bimodal distribution of pore sizes as measured by nitrogen absorption, said polymeric microparticles comprising a crosslinked polymer comprising crosslinking monomer units and non-crosslinking monomer units;
- and
- d) if the functional group is not a catalytic group, reacting the polymer so as to introduce catalytic groups onto the surface of the particles of the microparticulate material;
- wherein the crosslinking monomer comprises divinyl benzene, and
- wherein the non-crosslinking monomer comprises styrene or a derivative thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.