Macromolecular Nanotechnology: Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-based microspheres prepared by suspension polymerization in the presence of modified La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticles

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 1009 - 1016
• Main Authors: Horak, Daniel, Pollert, Emil, Trchova, Miroslava, Kovarova, Jana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-04-2009
• ISSN: 0014-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2008.12.030

With the aim of preparing new magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres suitable for magnetic separation, La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticles were selected as a core material. In order to improve their compatibility with PGMA, the surface of the nanoparticles was treated with penta(methylethylene glycol) phosphate methacrylate (PMGPMA) as a stabilizer. Subsequently, the nanoparticles were encapsulated by the suspension polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) resulting in a relatively homogeneous distribution of La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticle aggregates inside the polymer microspheres. Microspheres in the size range of a hundred micrometers with a broad particle size distribution were obtained. PMGPMA can be considered to be an efficient compatibilizer between La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticles and PGMA. Both PMGPMA-coated La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticles and magnetic PGMA microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, particle size, composition and magnetic properties by the appropriate methods, such as X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), light microscopy and SQUID magnetometry.