Preparation and Characterization of Non-porous Superparamagnetic Microspheres with Epoxy Groups by Dispersion Polymerization

Non-porous superparamagnetic polymer microspheres with epoxy groups were prepared by dispersion polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in the presence of magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles coated with oleic acid. The polymerization was carried out in the ethanol/water medium using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and 2,2aPRIME;-azobisisobutyranitrile (AIBN) as stabilizer and initiator, respectively. The magnetic microspheres obtained were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the magnetic microspheres had an average size of aSIM; 1m m with superpararnagnetic characteristics. The saturation magnetization was found to be 4.5 emu.g(-1). There was abundance of epoxy groups with density of 0.028 mmol-g(-1) in microspheres. The magnetic PGMA microspheres have extensive potential uses in magnetic bioseparation and biotechnology.