A simple route to prepare pomegranate-like polystyrene-based microspheres with high porosity

Pomegranate-like polystyrene-based microspheres with high porosity were successfully prepared via a simple route involving two steps. The first step was the preparation of polystyrene-based microspheres with multi-cores and a non-porous shell via suspension polymerization of divinylbenzene and vinylbenzyl chloride. Nitrogen sorption failed to characterize the pore structure of the microspheres because of the non-porous shell, but the results of Hg intrusion indicated that the pore volume of the microspheres was 0.36 cm 3 g −1 . The second step was post crosslinking of the microspheres derived from the first step. Extensive porosity was generated in the shell and the pomegranate-like structure of the microspheres remained almost unchanged. The results showed that the pore volumes of the final products derived from N 2 sorption and Hg intrusion were 0.54 cm 3 g −1 and 0.66 cm 3 g −1 , respectively. Overall, this provides a simple and feasible route to biomimetic preparation of pomegranate-like polystyrene-based microspheres with high porosity. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry