Faraday communications. Microwave synthesis of the colloidal poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgel system

Abstract

The preparation of monodisperse colloidal microgel particles of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) by the use of microwave radiation is reported. The total synthesis time has been reduced from 6 h (conventional method) to less than 1 h (microwave method). The physicochemical characteristics of the microwave synthesized microgel are similar to those of conventionally prepared samples. This is the first report of the synthesis of a particulate colloid using microwave energy.