Oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions for porous monolithic polymers

Porous monolithic polymers are objects of many studies recently due to their wide applicability. Especially in separation methods use of monoliths is growing. Usually, porous monoliths are prepared by bulk polymerisation with the use of porogenic solvents. An alternative way of preparation is to polymerise the continuous phase of an emulsion. When the volume fraction of the internal phase exceeds 74%, the emulsion is called a HIPE (high internal phase emulsion), and a polymer derived from it, a PolyHIPE. PolyHIPEs of styrene, vinylbenzyl chloride and acrylate chemistry have been prepared from awater in oil emulsion system, where monomers are dissolved in the organic phase. We describe the reversed procedure, an oil in water high internal phaseemulsion, where monomers are water soluble. Porous polymers based on acrylic acid and crosslinked with methylenebisacrylamide were prepared by using a high internal phase emulsion with toluene as the oil phase. The influence of initiator and surfactant on the morphology was studied