Preparation of copolymer microspheres of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate

Preparation of copolymer microspheres of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (2G) with several comonomers by radiation‐induced radical polymerization is described. Ethyl methacrylate (EMA), acrylamide, maleic anhydride, and styrene gave microspheres successively. The copolymerization resulted in gelation more easily than the 2G homopolymerization. The allowed ratio of copolymerization is up to about 0.4 as the mole fraction of comonomer for the solution containing 10 vol % 2G monomer. Copolymerization affected the size of microspheres by keeping its narrow distribution. The size of microspheres was increased by the copolymerization with EMA and styrene and, was decreased with acrylamide. The formation of microsphere strongly depends on the crosslinking ability of monomers. The crosslinking ability and reactivity in the copolymerization cause the change of the size of the microspheres. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.