Fabrication of divinylbenzene foam shells by microliquid technique

Based on the microliquid technique, a T-microchannel droplet generator was designed and developed for the continuous fabrication of hollow foam micro-shells of controlled size. Solutions of an internal water phase, an oil phase (divinylbenzene (DVB) monomer, dibutylphthalate solvent, and azodiisobutyronitrile initiator), and an external water phase were used in the fabrication of micro-shells. DVB hollow foam micro-shells of 700 to 1200 μm in diameter and 60 to 100 μm in thickness were finally prepared in the density of 90 to 120 mg · cm-3 by level-rotation-heating, solvent exchanging and supercritical drying. Their morphology and diameter dispersivity were characterized by optical microscope, X-ray diffraction microscope and scanning electron microscope, etc. The results show that, the microcapsules has good sphericity, concentricity and thickness uniformity, as well as a high survival rate. The diameter monodispersity of the microcapsules is good, however, the surface is rough. (authors)