ABSTRACT
The flexibility in latex surface properties is a significant advantage to this material’s ability to separate proteins since the selectivity is strongly dependent on the charge interactions of both the protein and the latex particles under the conditions of separation. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic microdomain structures were proven to be more blood compatible. The optimization of a suitable hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic ratio is also important for the bio-compatibility. Styrene (St) monomer used for preparing seed and core particles, and acrylic acid (AA), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomers for shell formation, were purchased from Fisher Scientific and used without purification. Polystyrene seed particles were synthesized using a typical semi-continuous emulsion polymerization. Polystyrene latex particles were prepared in a four-necked Paar glass vessel equipped with mechanical glass stir, thermometer, glass funnel for nitrogen purge, and tube for monomer feeding. Monodisperse and spherical polystyrene seeds were used for the synthesis of core-shell structured latex particles.
