Other Heterophase Polymer Encapsulation Techniques

In addition to the emulsion polymerization technique, miniemulsion, dispersion and suspension polymerizations also provide versatile routes to polymer encapsulation of inorganic particles. 

Following a similar route, Sondi et al. also described the formation of a protective poly(tert-butyl acrylate) layer on the surface of MPS-functionalized silica nanoparticles [155]. The amount of bound polymer was found to depend on the MPS-grafting density, which in turn was a function of the initial MPS concentration. The silica particles, the surface of which was efficiently recovered by both grafted and un-grafted polymers, showed an improved resistance to chemical etching. These studies highlighted the potential interest of encapsulated mineral oxide particles in photo-resistant technologies. 

Finally, it is worth mentioning that dispersion polymerization has also been used by Matijevic et al. [156,157] for the coating of a series of metal oxide particles 

A nonconventional suspension polymerization process was also investigated by utilizing a water-agarose gel as a suspending phase. Reactor agitation was only at an early stage in the process to fix the droplet size, and stopped when the temper- 

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