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.