PROCESS FOR PREPARING SILICA/POLYMER HYBRID HOLLOW NANOSPHERES USING WATER-BASED SILICA PRECURSORS

摘要

The disclosure provides a process for preparing a silica/polymeric hybrid hollow nanosphere comprising: providing a mixture comprising water, at least one non-reactive solvent; at least one acrylic or styrenic monomer; an initiator; and at least one surfactant; shearing the components of the above mixture with high shear energy at an energy density of at least 10^6 J/m^3 to form a mini-emulsion; heating to at least about 50 °C to initiate the polymerization reaction; and at the same time, feeding at least one water-based silica precursor solution to emulsion; and adjusting the pH to about 4 to 10 so that the water-based silica precursor hydrolyzes and condenses to form a silica shell at the oil/water interface resulting in silica/polymeric hybrid hollow nanospheres. Steps (c) and (d) in this process may occur simultaneously.