Synthesis of HCN-like poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/silica colloidal molecules

Abstract

This communication reports about the feasibility of preparing triphasic clusters made of the combination of silica, polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles. Silica–polystyrene dimers were used as seeds in methyl methacrylate emulsion polymerisation. The competition between silica surface nucleation and swelling/phase separation phenomena from the polystyrene nodule is discussed.