Preparation of mono-sized PMMA/liquid crystal microcapsules by solute co-diffusion method

Highly mono-sized polymer/liquid crystal (LC) microcapsules were prepared by solute co-diffusion method (SCM). This new approach employs an impressive process in which LC dissolved freely in a solvent is diffused into the pre-existing mono-sized polymer particles in the form of a fine emulsion. The solvent is then eliminated. The incorporation of LC/solvent emulsions into the substrate polymer particle is completed at 10 °C within 1 h. After solvent evaporation, polymer microcapsules loading a single LC domain are obtained. The morphology depends largely upon the chain characteristics of the substrate polymer particles. When using crosslinked polymer particles, all the microcapsules recovered were of uniform size and spherical in shape.