title: Water-soluble ionic liquids as novel stabilizers in suspension polymerization reactions: engineering polymer beads.
abstract: Aqueous solutions of ionic liquids have been used as novel and environmentally friendly reaction media to synthesize and "control" the size of different cross-linked polymer beads by suspension polymerization reactions. It was found that the investigated ionic liquids can act as novel stabilizing agents of the suspensions as a result of their surface-active properties. The results have demonstrated that the average size of polymer beads can be varied from the macro- to the nanoscale and their surface area can also be "adjusted" by this synthetic approach. Furthermore, the use of a combination of ionic liquids and water for the synthesis of polymers, the simple isolation of the products formed in this polymerization procedure, as well as the recycling of the continuous medium for further reactions open up possibilities for the development of "new and green" polymerization processes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Macromolecular Chemistry and Nanoscience, Eindhoven University of Technology and Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Sanchez
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erdmenger
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sereda
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Schubert
mesh_terms: D007477:Ions; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008863:Microspheres; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D016062:Porosity; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D012995:Solubility; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D011108:Polymers; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water