Morphology stability of polymethylmethacrylate nanospheres formed in water-acetone dispersion medium

The aim of this study is to develop a manufacturing technique of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanospheres to produce a more stable opal template. Water-acetone mixture was used as a dispersion medium to synthesize a PMMA opal structure. Morphology features, IR vibrational spectra and glass transition temperatures of the PMMA nanospheres formed in the water-acetone dispersion medium (nanospheres A) have been studied comparing with the same prepared in distilled water solution without acetone (nanospheres B). A dependence of a shrinkage degree of the nanoparticles on the acetone volume has been investigated. It has been revealed that under an electron beam action the shrinkage degree of the nanospheres A is in the range of 7-16% while the shrinkage of the nanospheres B is 18-25% at the same conditions. The nanospheres A are less flexible and soft as compared to the nanospheres B. Additionally, an ability of the PMMA nanoparticles fabricated in the water-acetone dispersion medium to form the ordered opal structures is demonstrated to be the similar to the nanospheres B.