| abstract |
The present invention is directed to a porous copolymer micro-particle having a high oil absorbency. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: dissolving at least two polyunsaturated monomers in a water-immiscible organic solvent to provide a monomer mixture containing at least about 60%, preferably about 100% by weight polyunsaturated monomers; adding the monomer mixture to an aqueous solution, preferably having an effective amount of a suspension stabilizer dissolved therein, to form an organic/aqueous biphasic liquid system; vigorously agitating the biphasic liquid system at a rate sufficient to cause the water immiscible organic phase to be suspended as micro-droplets in the aqueous phase; continuing vigorous agitating during polymerization of the monomers in the suspended micro-droplets to produce a microporous polymer micro-particle; and separating the microporous polymer micro-particle from the organic solvent to produce a microporous and oil sorbent polymer micro-particle having a mean unit diameter of less than about 25 microns. |