摘要 |
<p>The present invention is directed to a porous polymer microparticle, in the form of broken spheres, open to a porous oleophilic interior surface area, having a high oil and water absorbency and an apparent bulk density of about 0.008 to about 0.1 grams/cc. The preferred method of the present invention comprises the steps of: dissolving at least one, and preferably at least two, polyunsaturated monomers along with an effective amount of an organic polymerization initiator in a water-immiscible organic solvent to provide a monomer mixture; adding the monomer mixture to an aqueous solution, preferably having an effective amount of a suspension stabilizer dissolved therein, to form an organic/aqueous biphasic liquid system; vigorously agitating the biphasic liquid system at a rate sufficient to cause the water-immiscible organic phase to be suspended as microdroplets in the aqueous phase; continuing vigorous agitating during polymerization of the monomers in the suspended microdroplets to produce a microporous polymer microparticle; and separating the microporous polymer microparticle from the organic solvent to produce a microporous and oil sorbent polymer microparticle having a mean unit diameter of less than about 50 microns and a total sorptive capacity for mineral oil that is at least about 72% by weight, preferably at least about 90% by weight dry polymer basis.</p> |