Surfactant free synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl carbazole) microgel and its chemical modifications

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 2017-02, Vol.514, p.243-250
• Main Authors: Sahiner, Nurettin, Sengel, Sultan B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Colloids; Fluorescent particles; Microgels/microparticles; Nanogel/nanoparticles; Poly(9-vinyl carbazole) particles; Surfactant free polymerization
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2016.11.068

[Display omitted] •Surfactant free poly(vinyl carbazole) (p(VC)) particles preparation is possible.•Chemical modifications of microgel and nanogels of p(VC) particle is demonstrated.•Size and functional groups variation for p(VC) particle is possible. Here, for the first time poly(vinyl carbazole) (p(VC)) particles were prepared via surfactant free emulsion polymerization using 9-vinylcarbazole (VC) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator. The prepared p(VC) particles were readily separated by decantation and centrifugation into micro- and nano-sized p(VC) particles, respectively. Almost monodispersed bimodal particles of p(VC) with particle diameters of about 1500nm and 250nm were measured with DLS measurements. The characterization of p(VC) microgel was done by optic microscope, SEM, FT-IR spectroscopy and TGA measurement. Micrometer-sized p(VC) particles were further used for chemical modification e.g., quaternization by using modifying agents such as 4-bromonitrile and 1,6-bromohexane on nitrogen atoms of p(VC), and by nitro addition to the benzene ring of p(VC). Additionally, UV absorption properties of the p(VC) microparticles were evaluated by using UV–vis Spectrometer.