SYNOPSISApplication of the particulate microporous glass membrane (SPG) was extended to the synthesis of fairly monodisperse poly(methy1 methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres. Hydrophilic monomers have been believed to yield polymer particles of a broad size distribution when the SPG technique was employed. This difficulty was overcome by adopting the droplet swelling technique. The primary uniform emulsion composed of a mixture of hydrophobic diluent (and/or monomer), cosurfactant, and initiator was prepared with an SPG membrane and was allowed to absorb MMA (and diluent) under the principle of the degradative diffusion process from droplets in the secondary emulsion. The coefficient of variation of PMMA spheres was around 10%. Porous PMMA spheres possessing up to 185 m2/g of specific surface area were obtained as well as one-eyed spheres and smooth and solid spheres. 0

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Fairly uniform porous microspheres of poly(styrene) (PS) and poly(methy1 methacrylate) (PMMA) were synthesized using a particular microporous glass membrane (SPG). Average diameters of these spheres are from 2.5 to 38 ym with the coefficient of variation (CV) around 10%. A maximum specific surface area of 370 mzlg was achieved. Uniform dispersion of MMA droplets was successfully prepared only when the swelling process reported by Higuchi and Misra was adopted. Two potential applications, one as a packing material for column chromatography, and the other as a can-ier of enzyme immobilization, were demonstrated.

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