Template synthesis of composite hollow spheres using sulfonated polystyrene hollow spheres

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 47; no. 25; pp. 8360 - 8366
• Main Authors: Ding, Shu-Jiang, Zhang, Cheng-Liang, Yang, Mu, Qu, Xiao-Zhong, Lu, Yun-Feng, Yang, Zhen-Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 22.11.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Gels; Hollow spheres; Miscellaneous; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers; Gels; Composites; Hollow spheres; Electrical conductivity; Iron oxide; In situ; Silica; Calcining; Submicron particle; Colloidal gel; Hollow shape; Magnetite; Styrene polymer; Sulfonation; Aniline polymer; Electrical properties; Hollow particle; Palladium; Experimental study; Composite particles; Conducting polymers; Polyelectrolyte; Magnetization curve; Chemical modification; Free radical polymerization; Sol gel process; Morphology; Preparation; Styrenesulfonate polymer; Spherical particle; Oxidative polymerization; Titanium oxide
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2006.10.001

In this paper, we propose a general template synthesis approach towards composite hollow spheres using sulfonated polystyrene gel hollow spheres. The gel hollow spheres are highly crosslinked to well preserve the spherical contour during template synthesis. It is important that the gel shell is infiltrative to many species to allow their further growth therein by specific interaction. The grown materials are well distributed thorough the whole shell forming composite shells. This method is general, which is proved by the growth of many representative materials for example metal Pd nanoparticles, magnetite Fe 3O 4 nanocrystallites, conducting polyaniline, and inorganic titania and silica. It is found that mesoporous inorganic shells are obtained after the template gel is calcined. This concept can be applied to other gel shells and grown materials expecting a new family of composite hollow spheres.