Surface modification for polystyrene colloidal particles with controlled charge densities

A significant amount of polystyrene sulfonated acid (PSSA) and poly(styrene-ran-acrylic acid) (PSAA) random copolymer can be adsorbed by dispersion of PS particles via a swelling-quenching process. A THF-water mixed solvent was used in the swelling process and a large amount of pure water was used, to give a low concentration of THF% in quenching process. Our results showed that functional PSSA groups were randomly and tightly adsorbed to the PS particles. When the mol.% of charged segments was increased, the progressive adsorption of PSSA chains to the PS particles leads to an increase in the electrophoretic mobility and zeta-potential of aqueous dispersions. Thus, we were able to obtain well-distributed surface charge density on the PS particles.