Synthesis and Properties Study of the Uniform Nonspherical Styrene/Methacrylic Acid Copolymer Latex Particles

A facile method to prepare the nonspherical amphiphilic random copolymer of poly­(styrene-co-methacrylic acid) (poly­(St-co-PMAA)) latex particles with well-defined shapes and high yields by one-step batch emulsifier-free polymerization was demonstrated. In our strategy, only varying the molar ratio of styrene (St) to methacrylic acid (MAA), no seed-particles, no cross-linker, and no multistep control procedures were needed. Due to the presence of carboxyl groups on the surface of (poly­(St-co-PMAA) latex particles, these latex particles can be used as templates for fabricating core–shell nonspherical functional materials, such as poly­(St-co-PMAA)@SiO2 and poly­(St-co-PMAA)@polypyrrole). The corresponding nonspherical hollow structures (SiO2 and polypyrrole) could be obtained after removal of the templates. In addition, poly­(St-co-PMAA) latex particles exhibit interesting morphologies in ethanol.