Controlling porous properties of polymer monoliths synthesized by photoinitiated polymerization

Porous monoliths have been successfully prepared by photoinitiated polymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate monomers in a porogenic solvent. By varying the composition of the starting solutions such as initiator fraction, monomer ratio and pore generator (porogen) fraction and type, as well as UV intensity, monoliths have been obtained with narrow pore size distribution and median pore size from about a few nanometres to a few micrometres. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry Porous monoliths, prepared by photoinitiated polymerization, have a narrow pore size distribution and median pore size from a few nanometres to a few micrometres depending on the composition of the starting solution.