Polystyrene block poly(2-cinnamoylethyl methacrylate) nanospheres with cross-linked shells

Polystyrene-bloch-poly(2-cinnamoylethyl methacrylate), PS-b-PCEMA, forms spherical micelles with PCEMA corona and PS core in THF/acetonitrile with 10%, by volume, of THP. Nanospheres with cross-linked PCEMA shells are obtained by photolyzing the sample with UV light. Despite the PCEMA corona, the degree of intermicellar fusion is low at CEMA conversions less than similar to 40%. The nanospheres, with greater than similar to 10% CEMA conversions, are dispersible and structurally stable in THF or toluene which solubilizes both PS and un-cross-linked PCEMA.