No abstract

A series of polymerized high internal phase emulsions (polyHIPEs) with different cavities and windows (named PSD) were used as microreactors. Then methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized in the spaces of the polyHIPE by reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP). The resulting materials and PMMA in the polyHIPEs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance and differential scanning calorimetry. The results suggest that the monomer MMA is polymerized in the PSDs by RATRP. The confinement effect of the different cavities and pores is obvious but it weakens with the increase of the pore size. Compared with the conventional PMMA by RATRP, the number-average molecular weight and temperature of the initial decomposition of the PMMA obtained from PSDs is significantly high, which suggests that the confined space in the PSDs plays an active role in RATRP.