Introduction

Polystyrene particles (PS particles) refer to polymer microspheres synthesized by free radical polymerization of styrene monomer, which have the advantages of uniform particle size, good chemical stability, low adhesion and strong hydrophobicity, etc. They can be prepared by suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerization, dispersion polymerization and other methods. Due to its closed microporous structure, high strength and good chemical stability, PS particles can be applied in various fields such as biomedical detection, drug controlled release, biosensing, enzyme catalysis, cell labeling, optics and polymer modification[1,2]. Biotyscience provides high-quality polystyrene microspheres in a variety of particle sizes (20 nm-3 mm). The products have high repeatability between batches, are rich in negative charge, and are easy to modify as well as modify on the surface. It can meet the personalized material needs of various customers for research and development, testing, production and consumption.

Preparation Method

Radical polymerization[3];

Suspension polymerization[4];

Emulsion polymerization[4];

Dispersion polymerization[4];

Seeded dispersion polymerization[5];

Aerosolization[6].

Application

Vectors for heavy metals in aquatic systems[7]: Polystyrene (PS) particles have strong interactions with heavy metals in aquatic systems, which can act as vectors for heavy metals in aquatic systems. Larger PS particle sizes adsorbed more heavy metals even though it took longer to achieve equilibrium adsorption. An increase in heavy metal concentration caused the adsorption capacity (μg g–1) of PS particles to also increase, but the adsorption rate (%) decreased. Increased salinity of the heavy metal solution resulted in a slower adsorption time and a lower adsorption capacity and release rate from the surface of PS particles. Different heavy metals also had different adsorption capacities.

Cell labeling: Living cells can be labeled.

Drug carrier[8]: Polymers are the most versatile class of materials, which have widespread use in drug delivery. Novel supramolecular structures are being intensively researched for delivery of genes and macromolecules. Hydrogels that can respond to a variety of physical, chemical and biological stimuli hold enormous potential for design of closed-loop drug-delivery systems.

Carrier for immobilized enzymes[9]: Polystyrene based polymer materials have good adsorption properties for most proteins, and polystyrene nanoparticles can adsorb enzymes up to 240mg/g, which has potential application value in the field of immobilized enzymes.

Elisa[10]: Two different types of peptide with high specificity for sPS. Phage libraries of random heptamer peptides were applied to syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) film surfaces. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with phage clones and a library quantitatively revealed greater apparent binding constants of clones to the target polystyrene than to atactic and isotactic polystyrenes. The clones also recognized the presence or absence of complexed solvents in the target films.

Biosensor[11]: A polymerized crystalline colloidal array (PCCA) sensor for glucose monitoring in urine was developed. Specifically, a two-dimensional crystalline colloidal array (CCA) was assembled using polystyrene particles and further embedded into 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid functionalized hydrogel. Urine samples were tested, and the glucose concentrations was calculated by the particle spacing of PCCA. The PCCA urine glucose biosensor has the advantages of fast fabrication, low cost, easy operation and high sensitivity, which provides a promising technique for noninvasive point-of-care glucose monitoring.

Electrocatalyst[12]: A cobalt carbonate electrocatalyst with a hemispherical cavity shape was developed for water splitting and oxygen evolution using a polystyrene colloidal template electrodeposition method in a potassium carbonate solution.

Adsorbent[13]: A new polymer nanocomposite (GO-APS) was synthesized by coating acrylonitrile styrene polymer on graphene oxide nanosheets. The synthesized polymer nanocomposite was used as a solid phase of the dispersed solid-phase microextraction method to determine the triazole toxins in an aqueous sample.

Advantages

Excellent hydrophobicity and non-biodegradability;

Not dissolved or swollen by common solvents, which is beneficial to application and recovery;

Excellent binding ability for some substances such as proteins, dyes, and affinity ligands;

Large specific surface area, strong adsorption, easy centrifugal separation, suitable as a fixedcarrier for some substances;

Good particle size controllability, high surface reaction activity and high adsorption efficiency.

Reference

1 Chen, J., Li, Y., Xue, F., et al. (2011). Preparation of polystyrene particles with different morphologies. Polymer Engineering & Science. 51(6), 1170-1177. https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.21850

2 So, Y. K., Yong, J. K., Seung-Woo, L., et al. (2022). Interactions between bacteria and nano (micro)-sized polystyrene particles by bacterial responses and microscopy. Chemosphere, 306, 135584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135584

3 Takahashi, Y., Kano, M., Yanagisawa, N., et al. (2018). Preparation of Hollow Polystyrene Particles and Microcapsules by Radical Polymerization of Janus Droplets Consisting of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Oils. J Vis Exp. 25(131), 56922. https://doi.org/10.3791/56922

4 Arshady, R. (1992). Suspension, emulsion, and dispersion polymerization: A methodological survey. Colloid and polymer science. 270(8), 717–732. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00776142

5 Okubo, M., Fujibayashi, T., Terada, A. (2005). Synthesis of micron-sized, monodisperse polymer particles of disc-like and polyhedral shapes by seeded dispersion polymerization. Colloid and polymer science. 283(7), 793–798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-004-1210-4

6 Norasetthekul, S., Gadalla, A.M., Ploehn, H.J. Production of polystyrene particles via aerosolization. Journal of applied polymer science. 1995. 58(11), 2101-2110. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.1995.070581122

7 Barus, B.S., Chen, K., Cai, M., et al. (2021). Heavy metal adsorption and release on polystyrene particles at various salinities. Frontiers in marine Science, 8, 671802. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.671802

8 Pillai, O., Panchagnula, R. (2001). Polymers in drug delivery. Current opinion in chemical biology. 5(4), 447-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1367-5931(00)00227-1

9 Miletié, N., Abetz, V., Ebert, K., et al. (2010). Immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B on polystyrene nanoparticles. Macromolecular Rapid Communications. 31(1), 71-74. https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.200900497

10 Serizawa, T., Techawanitchai, P., Matsuno, H. (2007). Isolation of Peptides that Can Recognize Syndiotactic Polystyrene. ChemBioChem. 8(9), 989–993. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.200700133

11 Lan, Y., Xue, M., Qiu, L., et al. (2019). Clinical evaluation of a photonic crystal sensor for glucose monitoring in urine. ChemistrySelect. 4(21), 6547-6551. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.201900840

12 Araki, Y., Tsunekawa, S., Sakai, A., et al. (2022). Development of a Hemispherical Cavity Cobalt Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation Based on a Polystyrene Colloidal Template Electrodeposition Method. ChemistrySelect. 7(29), e202200600. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202200600

13 Piryaei, M., Mahdi Abolghasemi, M., Zahedi, E., et al. (2023). Nonporous Graphene‐Oxide Coated by Acrylonitrile Polystyrene as New Adsorbent in Dispersed Solid Phase Microextraction for Estimating Pesticides in Aqueous Samples. ChemistrySelect. 8(27), e202300123. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202300123

Ordering Information

Website: en.biotyscience.com

Phone: +86-400-669-8850 

Email: biotyscience@gmail.com