title: Initial growth process of polystyrene particle investigated by AFM.
abstract: We carried out molecular-scale and in situ investigations of the initial growth process of polystyrene particles in soap-free polymerization, where a cationic initiator, V-50, was used to make the formed particles transfer onto the mica plate in sampling, using an atomic force microscope. It was found that the particles coagulated soon after the nucleation process. Such coagulation was estimated from a macroscopic research, however; microscopic evidence was not enough. This study verifies it from a microscopic view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan. ytetsuya@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higashitani