Synthesis and characterization of magnetic polymer microspheres with a core–shell structure

Non-porous magnetic polymer microspheres with a core–shell structure were prepared by a novel micro-suspension polymerization technique. A stable iron oxide ferrofluid was used to supply the magnetic core, and the polymeric shell was made of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA monomer) and ethylene dimethacrylate (cross-linker). In the preparation, polyvinyl alcohol was used as the stabilizer, and a lauryl alcohol mixture as the dispersant. The influence of various conditions such as aqueous phase volume, GMA and initiator amounts, reaction time and stirring speed on the character of the microspheres was investigated. The magnetic microspheres were then characterized briefly. The results indicate that the microspheres with active epoxy groups had a narrow size distribution range from 1 to 10 μm with a volume-weighted mean diameter of 4.5 μm. The saturation magnetization reached 19.9 emu/g with little coercivity and remanence.