Effect of inert components on the porous structure of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ethylene dimethacrylate copolymers

The products obtained by suspension copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with ethylene dimethacrylate in water in the presence of 1-dodecanol and cyclohexanol as inert diluents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, mercury porosimetry, water and cyclohexane regain and volume swelling experiments. The porosity of the resulting poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) beads was readily adjusted by a change in the ratio of 1-dodecanol (non-solvating diluent) to cyclohexanol (solvating diluent). The morphological structure of the porous samples was also influenced by the choice of drying technique. Freeze-drying of samples swollen in water increased porosity compared to samples air-dried from ether. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.