One-Step Synthesis of Fluorescent Poly(divinylbenzene) Particles without Fluorescent Monomers

Abstract

A simple and cost-efficient method for fluorescent microsphere synthesis, which does not require any fluorescent monomers or modification steps to incorporate fluorescent moieties into the polymer particles, is reported. Using rhodamine B and benzophenone as bimolecular initiation system in type II photoinitiated precipitation polymerization, the method enables the preparation of fluorescent microspheres in one step, at room temperature and without the need for a stabilizer or surfactant of any type.

Keywords: benzophenone; fluorescent microspheres; poly(divinylbenzene); precipitation polymerization; rhodamine B; type II photoinitation; type II photoinitiated precipitation polymerization.