Beaded reactive polymers .1. Effect of synthesis variables on pore size and its distribution in beaded glycidyl methacrylate divinyl benzene copolymers

Reactive glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-divinyl benzene (DVB) copolymers of widely varying crosslink densities were synthesised in beaded form, within a definitive particle size distribution. Pores were generated within the beads by including cyclohexanol as ''porogen''. Copolymers with very specific pore size and distribution could be tailored by an interplay of the mole fraction of divinyl benzene (crosslinking monomer), volume of cyclohexanol and initiator concentration. Micropores with a narrow pore size distribution were obtained at low mole fraction of the crosslinking monomer and lower volumes of cyclohexanol. Porosity, surface area and pore size were found to increase with concomitant increase in crosslinking monomer and volume of porogen. It was possible to control the pore volume in the range 0 to 2.06 ml/g.