Polymerization in microemulsions is a new polymerization technique which allows the synthesis of ultrafine latex particles within the size range 5 nm < R < 50 nm and with narrow size distribution. This article presents a short review of the current literature in this field. Beside a short introduction into some liinetic aspects of polymerization in microemulsions, we mainly focus on the synthetic aspects of this technique such as the particle size control and the analysis of the diversity of surfactants which allow formation of polymerizable microemulsions. The control of the chemical functionality or nature of the particle surfaces which may be as large as 300 m2/g and its use for chemistry is a further topic of this paper. A personal analysis of the actual future trends in this rapidly developing field such as the polymerization of complex morphologies is closing the paper.

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Microlatex dispersions with ca. 120 m2 bipyridine-functionalized surface per g polymer were synthesized via copolymerization in microemulsion using two new cornonomers containing bipyridine groups. The resulting polymer particles were used for binding diverse metal ions in water as well as in organic solvents. Binding of the ions usually occurs intramolecularly. The colloidal characteristics of the dispersions are preserved.

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