Monodisperse poly(methyl methacrylate) microspheres with tunable carboxyl groups on the surface obtained by photoinitiated RAFT dispersion polymerization

Surface-functional polymeric microspheres have broad applications in numerous areas. Herein, monodisperse polymeric microspheres with tunable carboxy groups on the surface are prepared by photoinitiated RAFT dispersion polymerization using binary mixtures of two macromolecular chain transfer agents (macro-CTAs). The obtained carboxyl-functionalized polymeric microspheres can be further used to induce the formation of hollow inorganic/organic composites and the biomineralization of inorganic crystals.