In a mixed solvent of water and ethanol, polystyrene/titanium dioxide (PSt/TiO₂) composite particles of core-shell structure were prepared by hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate in the presence of cationic PSt particles or anionic PSt particles surface-treated using γ-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. Hollow TiO₂ particles were obtained through calcination of the PSt/TiO₂ core-shell particles to burn off the PSt core or through dissolution of the core by tetrahydrofuran (THF). An alternative process constituted of preheating the PSt/TiO₂ particles at 200°C to allow partial crystallization followed by calcination or PSt dissolution by THF. The outcome TiO₂ particles thus prepared were examined by TEM, and hollow TiO₂ particles were observed. The crystalline phase structure and phase transformation were characterized, which revealed that preheating before the removal of the PSt core was useful to achieve the desired hollow TiO₂ particles, and the calcination process was beneficial to the formation of anatase and rutile structures. The tests of TiO₂ particles as catalyst in the photodegradation of Rhodamine B demonstrated that a much higher catalytic activity was observed with the TiO₂ hollow particles prepared through calcination combined with preheating.

Thermosensitive polymer hydrogel particles with size varying from 480 to 620 nm were prepared through precipitation copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in water with ammonium persulfate as the initiator. Only polymer hydrogels without any coagula were obtained when MBA concentration in the monomer mixture was kept between 2.5 and 10.0 wt%; with increased MBA concentration, the monomer conversion was enhanced, the size of the hydrogels was increased, and their shrinking was lessened when heated from 25°C to 40°C. Bovine serum albumin adsorption on the surface of the hydrogels of different MBA content was measured at different pH levels and under different temperatures. The results demonstrated that the adsorption of the protein on the hydrogels could be controlled by adjusting the pH, the temperature of adsorption, and the crosslinking in the hydrogels. The results were interpreted, and the mechanisms of the polymerization were proposed.

A novel type of hollow polymer particles, polyurea (PU) microspheres with uniform morphology, is prepared via precipitation polymerization of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) in acetone–H₂O as the solvent in three steps. In the first step, IPDI reacts with H₂O to form the core particles consisting of linear PU, followed, in the second step, by addition of triethylene tetramine (TETA) and supplementary IPDI; the microspheres of core–shell structure are therefore obtained with a shell consisting of crosslinked PU thanks to the copolymerization of TETA with IPDI. Hollow microspheres are finally obtained by dissolving the core template of linear PU. The influence of the amounts of TETA, IPDI and their molar ratio on the formation and the morphology of the core–shell and the hollow microspheres are studied. The morphologies of the core–shell and of the hollow microspheres are characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The polymers are examined using Fourier-transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.

A novel and easy one-step protocol for preparation of a new porous material, polyurea (PPU), is reported, which is accomplished through a precipitation polymerization of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in mixed solvent of H2O-acetone without need for surfactant and porogen. Effects of TDI concentration, mechanical stirring, solvent composition and TDI addition rate on PPU structure are studied. Surface morphology and pore structure of PPU are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Hg intrusion. Chemical structure of the PPU polymer is investigated using NMR, XRD and FTIR. Mechanism of pore formation is discussed. The obtained PPU is used as adsorbent for anionic dyes adsorption investigation. Two anionic dyes, remazol brilliant blue R and acid fuchsine, are tested. The results indicate that the as-prepared PPU is of high performance in dye adsorption and recycled use. This study provided therefore a facile route to the preparation of a novel and attractive adsorbent candidate for removal of anionic dyes from wastewaters.