Filler-containing polymer particles useful as carriers for supporting a biological substance.

0001This invention relates to filler-containing polymer particles of an ethylenically unsaturated compound.

0002Filler-containing polymer particles are useful as carriers for supporting a biological substance such as an immunoreactive substance, an enzyme, a microorganism, an organism cell and the like.

0003Filler-containing polymer particles have conventionally been produced by mixing a filler with a polymer produced by a conventional polymerization method. There are, for example, a process which comprises mixing a filler with a solution of a polymer in an organic solvent, sufficiently stirring the solution to obtain a homogeneous mixture, and then spraying and drying the mixture; a process which comprises mechanically dispersing in water a filler-containing polymer solution, and then recovering an organic solvent; and a process which comprises kneading a polymer together with a filler, and then grinding the resulting mixture. These processes are disadvantageous, for example, in that a means for removing a solvent is needed, and in that the condition of dispersion of a filler in polymer particles is not uniform, so that the shapes and diameters of the polymer particles are irregular.

0004In order to remove these disadvantages, there have been proposed a process which comprises adding a filler to a monomer, and suspension-polymerizing the monomer to prepare a polymer. However, in the case of heretofore proposed suspension polymerization methods, the kinds of uniformly dispersible filler are limited, and the utilization of the resulting particles in which the shapes of the particles are retained is not taken into consideration, so that the strength of the particles is low. In the case of the conventional methods, the kind and amount of a monomer and the like are limited in conducting suspension polymerization. Further, the properties of a filler contained in the polymer particles are utilized, and when the surfaces of the polymer particles are required to be composed of a polymer alone, for example, when the polymer particles are used as a carrier for adsorbing thereon or combining therewith a biological substance such as an immunoreactive substance, an enzyme, a microorganism, an organism cell or the like, conventional filler-containing polymer particles are unsuitable for non-specifically supporting on their surfaces a biological substance because sometimes the filler is exposed on the surface.

0005An object of this invention is to provide spherical filler-containing polymer particles which contain a filler in a good dispersion condition, has a high particle strength, and is only slightly swollen with even a good solvent.

0006Another object of this invention is to provide polymer particles having a high particle strength which contain in their inner parts a filler in a good dispersion condition and contain no filler in their surfaces.

0007According to this invention, there is provided a filler-containing polymer particle, which comprises a polymer particle of an ethylenically unsaturated compound in which either 15% by weight or more of a polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or a silicon compound having an alkenyl group (hereinafter referred to as the alkenyl-silane compound) has been polymerized or copolymerized, and a filler dispersed in said polymer particle (said polymer particle is hereinafter referred to as the polymer particle (I)).

0008According to this invention, there is also provided a polymer particle (hereinafter referred to as the polymer particle (II)) consisting of the polymer particle (I) and a filler-free polymer or copolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated compound formed on the surface of the polymer particle (I).

0009The polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound which is a monomer used in this invention is, for example, a compound having in the molecule two or more a,6-ethylenic unsaturations, and includes for instance, divinylbenzene; vinyl acrylate; vinyl methacrylate; polyester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with a polyol such as ethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, propylene glycol, polyoxypropylene, trimethylolpropane, glycerin or the like; polyethers of allyl alchol with said polyols; etc. These polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The amount of these polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compounds polymerized or copolymerized is 15 to 100% by weight, preferably 20 to 100% by weight. When it is less than 15% by weight, the resulting polymer particle is insufficient in strength and sometimes destroyed when supersonic treatment or the like is carried out in using them; the polymer particle is high in the degree of swelling with a good solvent; and the filler contained in the polymer particles is localized therein, so that the color tones of the polymer particles become uneven.

0010The alkenyl-silane compound which is a monomer used in this invention can be represented, for example, by the following general formula: <chemistry id="chem0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0001.tif" /></chemistry>wherein X is a halogen atom, -QR¹ or <chemistry id="chem0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0002.tif" /></chemistry>R is <chemistry id="chem0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0003.tif" /></chemistry>n is 1, 2 or 3; R¹ is an alkyl group; and R is a divalent saturated aliphatic group.

0011From the viewpoint of the toughness of or the polymerizability for a polymer or copolymer of the alkenyl-silane compound, X is preferably a halogen atom or -OR¹ and as the halogen atom, a chlorine atom is particularly preferred, while R is preferably -CH₃ or <chemistry id="chem0004" num="0004"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0004.tif" /></chemistry>

0012preferred, and R 2 is preferably -C₂H₄- or -C₃H₆-.

0013The alkenyl-silane compound represented by the above general formula includes, for example, vinyltrichlorosilane, divinyldimethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, di-y-methacryloxypropyl- dimethoxysilane, y-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane_í styryltrimethoxysilane, styryltriethoxysilane, etc.

0014These alkenyl-silane compounds may be used alone or even in combination of two or more.

0015The amount of these alkenyl-silane compounds polymerized or copolymerized is preferably 5 to 100% by weight, particularly preferably 5 to 50% by weight.

0016When it is less than 5% by weight, the dispersibility of the filler is insufficient and the particle strength is low. Moreover, the kinds and amounts of copolymerizable monomers are limited, and when a highly hydrophilic monomer is added, the filler is localized and, in the worst case, moves into the aqueous phase.

0017Other ethylenically unsaturated compounds copolymerizable with the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or the alkenyl-silane compound are aromatic alkenyl compounds, unsaturated carboxylic acid compounds, unsaturated ester compounds, unsaturated amide compounds, unsaturated nitrile compounds, halogenated vinyl compounds and alkenyl lower aliphatic acid ester compounds, such as styrene, a-methylstyrene, vinyltoluene, ethylstyrene, chlorostyrene, sodium styrenesulfonate, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, polyoxyethylene acrylate, polyoxyethylene methacrylate, polyoxypropylene acrylate, polyoxypropylene methacrylate, 2-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, 2-diethylaminoethyl acrylate, 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrolein, methacrolein, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-methylolacrylamide, methylenebisacrylamide, vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide, vinylidene chloride, vinyl acetate, N-vinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyridine, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid and the like, etc.

0018Water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, acrylamide, methacrylamide and the like are preferably used in an amount of 20% by weight or less.

0019A conjugated diene compound such as butadiene, isoprene, piperylene or the like may be copolymerized in such an extent that the polymer particles (I) do not adhere to one another to aggregate.

0020Such monomers to be copolymerized with the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or the alkenyl-silane compound may be used alone or even in combination of two or more. Needless to say, the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound may be copolymerized with the alkenyl-silane compound, and in this case, it is sufficient that either the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or the alkenyl-silane compound is copolymerized in a required amount. The simultaneous use of the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound and the alkenyl-silane compound further improves the dispersibility of the filler, and the strength, swelling-resistance and the like of the particles, etc.

0021The filler used in this invention includes, for example, metals such as iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, aluminum and the like; alloys of these metals with one another or with other metals, e.g., lanthanum series elements such as lanthanum, gadolinium and the like; metal oxides such as iron oxide, cobalt oxide, lead oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, silicon oxide, titanium oxide and the like; metal salts such as magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, aluminum silicate, barium sulfate, lead carbonate, lead chromate, cobalt aluminate, mercurons chloride and the like; metal sulfides such as zinc sulfide, cadmium sulfide and the like; and pigments or metallic chelate compounds such as Nickel Metallized Azo Yellow, Red Lake R, Permanent Red 2B, Copper Phthalocyanine Blue, Copper Phthalocyanine Green and the like. The particle diameter of the filler should be smaller than that of the desired polymer particle (I), and is desirably 30 A to 10 um, in particular, about 100 A to 1 pm.

0022The surfaces of these fillers are often hydrophilic, and when the fillers are used as they are, the filler particles often aggregate in an oleophilic monomer and are, in some cases, difficult to disperse uniformly in the polymer particles. In this invention, particularly when no alkenyl-silane compound is used, there is suitably used a filler treated so as to impart an oleophilic property to the surface of the filler in order that the filler may uniformly be dispersed in an oleophilic monomer and that the filler particles do not aggregate and precipitate even when allowed to stand for a long time.

0023As the treatment method for imparting an oleophilic property to the surface of filler, there may be used, for example, a method for imparting an oleophilic property to the surface of filler which comprises contacting a filler with a surfactant composed mainly of a fatty acid in a medium such as water to form an adsorbed layer of the surfactant composed mainly of a fatty acid on the surface of the filler, followed by washing the filler with an acidic solution having a pH value of less than 7, preferably a pH value of not less than 5 and less than 7 (Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 22,688/76). The surfactant composed mainly of a fatty acid used for this purpose includes alkali metal salts of unsaturated fatty acids such as rosin acid, dodecenic acid, tetradecenic acid, hexadecenic acid and the like; alkali metal salts of saturated fatty acids such as

0024myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachic acid and the like; alkaline earth metal salts of rosin acid; and the like.

0025As the acidic solutions having a pH value of less than 7, there may be used solutions prepared by adjusting the pH of a lower alcohol such as methanol, ethanol or the like, a lower ketone such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone or the like, water or the like with a mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosporic acid or the like.

0026The treatment temperature for forming an adsorbed layer of a surfactant composed mainly of a fatty acid on the surface of filler is usually 30° - 150°C, preferably 70° - 110°C. The treatment time is usually 0.5 - 2 hours, preferably 0.5 - 1 hour. Though the concentration of a surfactant composed mainly of fatty acid in the dispersion medium is not critical, it is usually 0.2% by weight or more, preferably 1 - 20% by weight.

0027It is considered that the filler treated by this method has formed thereon a fatty acid layer, where the hydrophilic group of the fatty acid is adsorbed on the filler surface and its oleophilic group faces outside, so that an oleophilic property is imparted to the filler surface.

0028As another treatment method for imparting an oleophilic property to the filler, there is a method which comprises contacting a filler with a compound having a very high filler-affinity portion and an oleophilic portion in its molecule, bonding the high filler-affinity portion to the filler by adsorption or chemical combination and treating the filler so as to direct the oleophilic portion to outside. As such a compound, there may be used silane coupling agents represented by the formula (I): <chemistry id="chem0005" num="0005"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0005.tif" /></chemistry>wherein R³ is an alkoxy group preferably having 1-3 carbon atoms; an acyloxy group preferably having 2-4 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; R⁴ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl or aryl group, which includes, for example, -(CH₂)₃NH₂, -(CH₂)₃SH, -(CH₂)₃-NH-C₂H₅, -(CH₂)₃NH-(CH₂)₂ NH_2' -CH=CH₂, -(CH₂)₃O-<img file="EP0097516A2_D0006.tif" />-C(CH₃)=CH₂, -(CH₂)₃O-CH₂- <chemistry id="chem0006" num="0006"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0007.tif" /></chemistry>-(CH₂)₃Cl, <chemistry id="chem0007" num="0007"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0008.tif" /></chemistry>and the like; and m is 1, 2 or 3; titanate coupling agents represented by the formula (2): <chemistry id="chem0008" num="0008"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0009.tif" /></chemistry>wherein R⁵ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, alkylenedioxy or acyloxy group, said alkoxy having preferably 1-6 carbon atoms, said acyloxy having preferably 2-12 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 2-4 carbon atoms, which includes, for example, CH₃0-, C₂H₅O-, C₃H₇O-, C₄H₉O-, CH₃C(CH₃)HO-, <chemistry id="chem0009" num="0009"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0010.tif" /></chemistry><chemistry id="chem0010" num="0010"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0011.tif" /></chemistry>and the like; R⁶ is an alkylacyloxy group having preferably 2-20 carbon atoms, a substituted benzene-sulfoxy group, a substituted phenoxy group, an unsaturated acyloxy group having preferably 2-6 carbon atoms, an alkyl phosphate group or an alkyl phosphite group, which include, for example, <chemistry id="chem0011" num="0011"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0012.tif" /></chemistry><chemistry id="chem0012" num="0012"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0013.tif" /></chemistry><chemistry id="chem0013" num="0013"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0014.tif" /></chemistry><chemistry id="chem0014" num="0014"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0015.tif" /></chemistry><chemistry id="chem0015" num="0015"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0016.tif" /></chemistry> and the like; and p is 1, 2 or 3.

0029As the method for bonding a silane coupling agent or a titanate coupling agent to the filler, there may be used, for example, a method which comprises mixing the filler and the silane coupling agent or the titanate coupling agent in an inorganic medium such as water or the like or an organic medium such as an alcohol, an ether, a ketone, an ester or the like, heating the resulting mixture with stirring, thereafter separating the filler by means of decantation or the like and then removing the inorganic or organic medium by drying under reduced pressure or the like. The silane coupling agent or the titanate coupling agent may be bonded to the filler by directly mixing the filler with the silane coupling agent or the titanate coupling agent without using any inorganic or organic medium and then heating the resulting mixture. In these methods, the heating temperature is usually 30° - 100°C, and the heating time is about 30 minutes to 2 hours. Though the proportion of silane coupling agent or titanate coupling agent to filler is appropriately selected in consideration of the surface area of filler, it is usually 1-50 parts by weight, preferably 2-30 parts by weight, of the silane coupling agent or titanate coupling agent per 100 parts by weight of the filler. When an inorganic or organic medium is used, the concentration of the silane coupling agent or titanate coupling agent in the medium is usually 1% by weight or more, though it is not critical.

0030As other methods for imparting an oleophilic property to the filler, there may be used a method which comprises pulverizing the filler to finer particles by means of a pulverizing machine such as a ball mill in a hydrophobic medium containing a compound having a surface active effect such as a fatty acid, an alkyl sulfate, an alkylarylsulfonic acid or the like, thereby imparting an oleophilic property to the filler; a method which comprises adding and mixing an aqueous dispersion of fine powder of filler produced by a wet process or the like in the above-mentioned hydrophobic medium containing a surfactant to obtain an emulsion, thereafter heating the emulsion to distil off the water, thereby imparting an oleophilic property to the filler; and a method which comprises pre-heating the above-mentioned hydrophobic medium containing a surfactant, adding and mixing an aqueous dispersion of fine powder of filler produced by a wet process or the like into the hydrophobic medium and simultaneously distilling off the water, thereby imparting an oleophilic property to the filler.

0031As a method for separating the filler having an oleophilic property obtained by these methods, from the hydrophobic medium, various methods may be used. For example, the filler can be precipitated by mixing the hydrophobic medium containing the filler having imparted thereto an oleophilic property with a lower alcohol miscible with the hydrophobic medium such as ethanol, propanol and the like, and the precipitated filler can be collected by filtration, decantation or the like.

0032The filler treated by these methods to give it an oleophilic property is very easily and stably dispersed in an oleophilic monomer and hardly causes solid-liquid separation. The filler is mixed with the monomer in an amount of preferably 0.1 to 200 parts by weight, particularly preferably 5 to 120 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the monomer.

0033Processes for producing the polymer particle (I) of this invention are explained below. Process A (Suspension polymerization method)

0034A monomer mixture is prepared by mixing the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or the alkenyl silane compound and a polymerization initiator, if necessary, together with one or more other ethylenically unsaturated compounds to be copolymerized therewith and a filler. The aforesaid monomer mixture is poured into an aqueous medium comprising water as the main constituent, a suspension stabilizer and, if necessary, a surfactant, and the resulting mixture is stirred to form dispersed droplets of the monomer mixture. Depending on the constituents of the monomer mixture, heating may be effected for facilitating the formation of the dispersed droplets, or an organic solvent such as benzene, toluene, chloroform, ethyl acetate or the like may be added or alternatively, the polymer dissolved in the monomer may be used.

0035The aforesaid suspension stabilizer and surfactant are used for preventing the dispersed droplets formed in the aqueous medium from being unified, and it is possible to control, by properly selecting their kinds and concentrations, the size of the dispersed droplets which depends dominantly on the degree of the stirring. As the suspension stabilizer, water-soluble polymers such as. polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyoxyethylene, carboxymethyl cellulose, gelatin, soluble starchs and the like are preferred, and the suspension stabilizer is usually used in a proportion of 0.05 to 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture. As the aforesaid surfactant, there may be used fatty acid soaps, rosin soap, sodium alkylbenzenesulfonates, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymers, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, sorbitan fatty acid esters and the like, and the surfactant is usually used in a proportion of 1 part by weight or less per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture.

0036As the aforesaid polymerization initiator, there may be used an alkyl peracid ester such as t-butyl perbenzoate, isopropyl peracetate or the like; a acyloyl peroxide such as benzoyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide or the like; an aralkyl hydroperoxide such as cumene hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide or the like; a dialkyl peroxide such as di-t-butyl peroxide or the like; or an azobisacylonitrile such as azobisisobutyronitrile, azobiscyclohexanecarbonitrile or the like. The polymerization initiator is usually used in a proportion of about 0.1 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the monomer. If necessary, a molecular weight regulator such as t-dodecylmercaptan, carbon tetrachloride or the like may be added to the aforesaid monomer mixture.

0037The amount of the aqueous medium used is usually 100 to 2,000 parts by weight, preferably 300 to 1,500-parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture. The stirring rate for forming the dispersed droplets of the monomer mixture is usually about 300 to 20,000 r.p.m.

0038In the case of using other ethylenically unsaturated compound to be copolymerized with the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or the alkenyl-silane compound, when as the other ethylenically unsaturated compound to be copolymerized, there is used another ethylenically unsaturated compound having a high solubility in water and a high distribution ratio to the medium consisting of water, this other ethylenically unsaturated compound is preferably used in an amount of 20% by weight based on the amount of the total monomers. When said other ethylenically unsaturated compound is used in an amount of more than 20% by weight, in some cases, the diameter of the resulting polymer particles (I) is decreased, the localization of the filler is caused, and, moreover, the filler is moved to the aqueous phase.

0039Under the conditions described above, the dispersed droplets of the monomer mixture are formed in the aqueous medium, polymerization is caused by heating the system while continuing the stirring, whereby the polymer particles (I) are produced. The polymerization temperature is preferably 60° to 100°C. Although the average diameter of the thus obtained polymer particles (I) is varied depending upon the above-mentioned various conditions, the shape of the reactor and the like, it is usually about 0.1 pm to 2 mm. The polymer particles (I) produced are collected by a means such as a centrifugation method, a filtration method or the like and washed. If necessary, it is possible to classify the polymer particles (I) by a means such as a sieving method, a sedimentation separation method or the like, and take out only those having a diameter in the desired range.

0040Process B (Solution-precipitation polymerization method)

0041A monomer mixture is prepared in the same manner as in the Process A and added to a liquid medium in which the polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound, the alkenyl-silane compound, the other ethylenically unsaturated compound or compounds to be copolymerized therewith, and the polymerization initiator can be dissolved but a polymer to be produced cannot be dissolved or alternatively the constituents of the monomer mixture are separately added to the aforesaid liquid medium.

0042The thus obtained mixture is heated with stirring to conduct polymerization, and the resulting polymer or copolymer is deposited in the liquid medium, whereby the polymer particles (I) are produced.

0043The liquid medium used in the above process is selected from solvents such as lower alcohols, ethers, ketones, halogenated hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons and the like, for example, methanol, ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, cyclohexane, 1,2-dichloroethane, etc. However, when the other ethylenycally unsaturated compound or compounds to be polymerized are soluble in water and the polymer produced is insoluble in water, for example, when 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, acrolein, methacrolein or the like is copolymerized, water or a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent miscible therewith may also be used.

0044It is sufficient that the dissolution of the monomers in the liquid medium in the present process is conducted at the polymerization temperature, and in some cases, the ionic monomer such as sodium styrenesulfonate or the like is copolymerized without dissolving it in a solvent.

0045As described above, in the present process, it is not always necessary to form, as in the process A, dispersed droplets of the monomer mixture in the liquid medium, and therefore, the employment of a suspension stabilizer and a surfactant becomes unnecessary.

0046The aforesaid polymerization initiator is soluble in the liquid medium used and, for example, the same polymerization initiators as in the process A may be used. When, for instance, a mixed solution of water and methanol or the like is used as the liquid medium, a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator such as hydrogen peroxide, a persulfate or the like may be used as the polymerization initiator. The other polymerization conditions are the same as in the process A. In the present process, there are obtained for instance, polymer particles having an average diameter of 0.05 to 100 µm by varying the kind and amount of the liquid medium.

0047The polymer particle (I) obtained by the above-mentioned Processes A and B is a spherical particle . containing the filler uniformly dispersed therein, and their shapes are suitable for carrier.

0048The polymer particle (II), which is another object of this invention, is produced by forming a filler-free polymer on the surface of the polymer particle (I) obtained in the manner described above (the filler-free polymer is hereinafter referred to as polymer (III)). As the ethylenically unsaturated compound for forming the polymer (III) on the surface of the polymer particle (I), there may be used the same compounds as used for the aforesaid polymer particle (I), but the employment of a polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or an alkenyl-silane compound is not essential. When a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compound is copolymerized, the amount thereof is such that the resulting copolymer is not soluble in water, for example, 50% by weight or less, preferably 30% by weight or less.

0049The weight ratio of the polymer particle (I) to the polymer (III) is preferably 100/5-200, more preferably 100/5-150, and most preferably 100/20-100. When the polymer (III) is formed in a ratio of less than 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymer particle (_I), the polymer (III) cannot always cover the whole surface of the polymer particle (I), and the surface of the polymer particle (I) is exposed in some cases. When the polymer (III) is formed in a ratio of more than 200 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymer particle (I), the shell layer of the polymer (III) becomes very thick, so that no sufficient effect can be exerted in utilization of the physical properties of the filler in the inner part. Although the diameter of the polymer particles (II) is not critical, it is preferably 0.1 to 400 cm, particularly preferably 0.1 to 300 _Um.

0050The method of forming the polymer (III) on the surface of the polymer particle (I) is not critical, and the formation is carried out, for example, by the following suspension polymerization method or emulsion polymerization method.

(a) Suspension polymerization method

0051The polymer particles (I) are dispersed in an organic phase comprising an ethylenically unsaturated compound, a polymerization initiator and optionally a chain transfer agent, and the resulting dispersion is dispersed in an aqueous phase in the presence of a suspension stabilizer at a temperature lower than the polymerization-initiating temperature. After droplets of the organic phase having a desirable particle diameter are obtained by varying the concentration of the suspension stabilizer and the stirring rate, the temperature is elevated to conduct polymerization, whereby the polymer particles (II) are obtained. The polymerization initiator, the chain transfer agent, the suspension stabilizer, the polymerization conditions and the like are the same as described the above polymer particles (I).

(b) Emulsion polymerization method

0052The polymer particles (I) are dispersed in . an aqueous phase containing a polymerization initiator, and an ethylenically unsaturated compound for forming the polymer (III) is charged thereinto at one time or continuously and polymerized in an emulsion state. As the polymerization initiator in this case, there may be used radical polymerization initiators usually used for emulsion polymerization, for example, persulfates; peroxides such as hydrogen peroxide, metal peroxides and the like; acyloyl peroxides; aralkyl hydroperoxides; esters of peracids; azonitriles; so-called redox catalyst systems formed by reacting a peroxide with a reducing agent in the presence of an iron salt; and the like.

0053As the reducing agent, there may be used acid sodium sulfate, sodium thiosulfate, sodium metabissulfite and the like. In addition to them, there may also be used polymerization adjuvants usually used for emulsion polymerization, for example, molecular weight regulators such as t-dodecylmercaptan, carbon tetrachloride and the like; and chelating agents such as sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and the like.

0054Although an emulsifier is not always needed, it may be used in an amount of, in usual, about 1 part by weight or less, preferably 0.1 part by weight or less per 100 parts by weight of the total monomer. As the emulsifier, there may be used anionic surfactants such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, potassium oleate and the like; and nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl. ether and the like. These may be used alone or in admixture of two or more. Although the pH at the time of the polymerization is not critical, it ranges, in general, from 2 to 10. Although the polymerization temperature also is not critical so long as it is in the range in which usual emulsion polymerization is conducted, temperatures in the range of 30° to 100°C are suitable.

0055In the polymer particle (I) of this invention, either 15% by weight or more of a polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound or an alkenyl-silane compound has been polymerized or copolymerized, and therefore, as compared with a conventional filler-containing polymer. particle, said polymer particle (I) has greatly increased physical strengths and can have a low degree of swelling even when immersed in a good solvent. Accordingly, the polymer particle (I) of this invention is hardly broken up even by various treatments, e.g., supersonic treatment and is not dissolved or swollen even when immersed, for example, in a monomer having a functional group for the purpose of further modifying the surface of the polymer particle (I). Also, a different monomer can be polymerized on the surface of said polymer particle (I).

0056Further, owing to the employment of either an alkenyl-silane compound or 15% by weight or more of a polyfunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound, a hydrophilic monomer may be added and used without causing the localization or separation of the filler, and the polar group of the hydrophilic monomer can be utilized.

0057In particular, the polymer particle (I) of this invention is characterized in that it contains a filler in a good dispersion state and is perfectly spherical. The above-mentioned Processes A and B are production processes in which substantially no filler-free polymer particle is formed at the time of the polymerization.

0058Further, the polymer particles (I) of this invention are very useful because the physical properties of the filler contained in their interior can be utilized. For instance, when a filler having a very high density is used, the resulting polymer particles have a high density and can easily be separated from the liquid medium by means of gravity or centrifugal force. When a magnetic filler is used, it is made possible to move the resulting polymer particles in a liquid medium, a living body or a vessel by means of magnetic force. The polymer particle (I) of this invention having a small diameter has a very large surface area per unit volume and hence is suitable as a carrier in which the surface of the polymer particle is utilized.

0059As described above, the polymer particles (I) of this invention can be given various chemical or physical properties by properly varying the combination of-the monomers with the filler, and hence are very useful.

0060In the production process of this invention, the kind of the monomer or monomers to be copolymerized may considerably freely be selected; for instance, the polymer particles (I) can be produced by using a highly hydrophilic monomer.

0061Further, the polymer particle (II) of this invention is characterized in that like the polymer particle (I), it is hardly broken up even by various treatments, e.g., supersonic treatment because the particle strength of the polymer particle (I) covered with the surface layer of the polymer (III) is very high.

0062In the polymer particle (II) of this invention, the physical properties of the filler contained in the interior thereof can be utilized, and a filler-free polymer is formed on the surface of the particle. As the polymer (III) constituting the surface of the polymer particle (II), either a nonpolar polymer or a polar polymer having a functional group may freely be used, and the surface performance of the polymer particle can sufficiently be exerted. For example, when fine particles of a high-density substance are used as the filler, there are obtained polymer particles which have a high apparent density and whose surfaces are composed of a filler-free polymer alone. These polymer particles, like the polymer particles (I), can easily be separated from the surrounding liquid medium by utilizing gravity or centrifugal force, and hence, are very useful as a carrier for biological substances and the like. When a magnetic filler is used as in the case of the polymer particles (I), it becomes possible to separate the resulting polymer particles or move them in a liquid medium, a living body or a vessel by means of a magnetic force. Thus, in the case of the polymer particle (II) of this invention, the physical properties of the filler can be utilized, and moreover the surface of the polymer particle has the desired chemical properties. By properly selecting the diameter of the polymer particle, this polymer particle can be made particularly ideal for utilizing the surface of the polymer particle.

0063Further, when the surfaces of the polymer particle (I) and the polymer particle (II) of this invention are composed of a polymer or copolymer of an alkenyl-silane compound, said polymer particles (I) and (II) have an excellent supporting ability and hardly undergo non-specific aggregation even after a substance to be supported has been supported thereon.

0064The polymer particle (I) and the polymer particle (II) of this invention having the characteristics described above are useful as carriers for biological substances, for example, immunoreactive substances represented by antigens and antibodies such as surface antigen of B type hepatitis (HBs antigen), anti-HBs antibody, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG antigen), anti-HCG antibody, immunoglobulin G, mycoplasma antigen, nucleic acid, nuclear protein, estrogen, anti-estrogen antibody and the like; enzymes such as glucose isomerase, glucose oxidase, a-amylase, papain, aminoacylase and the like; and organism cells requiring a solid surface for their growth, such as fetal pneumocyte, renal cell, fibroblast and the like, and are particularly useful as carriers for the immunoreactive substances and the organism cells.

0065The present invention is further explained below in more detail referring to Examples.

Example 1

0066To 1 liter of water containing 100 g of magnetite ° particles having an average particle diameter of 110 A prepared by a wet process was added 400 ml of a 20% by weight aqueous potassium oleate solution, and the resulting mixture was stirred at 90°C for 30 minutes. After being cooled, the pH of the mixture was adjusted to 6 with diluted hydrochloric acid.

0067Since the magnetite particles aggregated, they were filtered off, washed with two 300-ml portions of water at 80°C and then with two 300-ml portions of ethanol, and dried under reduced pressure. In a 1-liter, four-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, a reflux condenser, a dropping funnel and a thermometer was placed 400 ml of a 3% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution. On the other hand, 50 g of styrene, 100 g of divinylbenzene, 3 g of benzoyl peroxide, 1.5 g of t-dodecylmercaptan and 15 g of the magnetite particles obtained above having an oleophilic property imparted by the treatment with potassium oleate, were stirred at 3,000 r.p.m. with water-cooling to uniformly mix them. Subsequently, the resulting mixture was dropped into the aforesaid four-necked flask through the dropping funnel while the aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution contained in the flask was stirred. After completion of the dropping, the stirring of the contents was further continued for 30 minutes, and when the particle diameter of the organic phase became uniformly 25 um, the contents were heated to 85°C to be subjected to polymerization. After the polymerization for 12 hours, the unreacted monomers were recovered under reduced pressure, and the polymer particles were separated by centrifugation and washed with three 500-ml portions of warm water, to obtain 140 g of polymer particles containing magnetite particles. The thus obtained polymer particles were observed under a microscope of 300 magnifications to find that the particles had a perfectly spherical shape having a diameter of 25210 µm and that the whole thereof had a uniform color tone. These polymer particles were attracted by a magnet, were not broken up even by supersonic treatment, and showed a degree of volume-swelling of 1.3 times even when immersed in toluene at room temperature for 5 hours.

EXAMPLE 2

0068Polymerization was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the 50 g of styrene was replaced by a mixture of 20 g of styrene and 30 g of methyl methacrylate. By the polymerization, 140 g of polymer particles containing magnetite particles were. obtained. The polymer particles had a perfectly spherical shape having a diameter of 20±10 um and the whole thereof had a uniform color tone. The polymer particles were attracted by a magnet, were not broken up even by supersonic treatment, and showed a degree of volume-swelling of 1.2 times even when immersed in toluene at room temperature for 5 hours.

EXAMPLE 3

0069A solution of 5 ml of <chemistry id="chem0016" num="0016"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0017.tif" /></chemistry>in 30 ml of ethanol was added at room temperature with stirring to 500 ml of ethanol which contained 15 g of ferrite particles having an average particle diameter of 80 µm prepared by a wet process. Subsequently, the resulting mixture was refluxed for 1 hour, cooled, centrifuged, then washed with two 20-ml portions of ethanol, and dried under reduced pressure. In a 1-liter flask was placed a homogeneous mixture prepared by previously stirring together, at 500 r.p.m. 30 g of the ferrite particles having an oleophilic property imparted by the treatment described above, 10 g styrene, 90 g of divinylbenzene, 3 g of benzoyl peroxide, and 0.5 g of t-dodecylmercaptan, with ice-cooling. To the mixture was added 400 ml of a 1.5% aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution with ice-cooling, after which the resulting mixture was stirred at 2,000 r.p.m. for 15 minutes, and when the particle diameter of the suspended droplets became uniformly 12 um, the mixture was heated to 80°C to be subjected to polymerization. After the polymerization was conducted for 16 hours, the unreacted monomers were recovered under reduced pressure, and the polymer particles were separated by centrifugation to obtain 100 g of polymer particles containing ferrite particles. The thus obtained polymer particles had a perfectly spherical shape having a diameter of 14±5 um, and the whole thereof had a uniform color tone. These polymer particles were not broken up even by supersonic treatment and showed a degree of volume-swelling of 1.1 times even when immersed in toluene at room temperature for 5 hours.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1

0070Polymerization was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the 50 g of styrene and the 100 g of the divinylbenzene were replaced by 135 g of styrene and 15 g of divinylbenzene, respectively. By the polymerization, 140 g of polymer particles containing magnetite particles were obtained. The polymer particles had a perfectly spherical shape having a diameter of 15±8 um, but the magnetite particles were localized as mass in the polymer particles. About 5% of the number of the polymer particles did not contain any filler. Further, a part of the polymer particles were broken up by supersonic treatment, and the degree of volume-swelling by immersion in toluene at room temperature for 1 hour was 10.6 times.

EXAMPLE 4

0071<tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0018.tif" /></tables>

0072The above-mentioned materials were mixed to prepare a liquid monomer composition, which was then added to 300 ml of a 2% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution and suspended therein by stirring. The resulting suspension was heated to a temperature of 80°C and subjected to polymerization for 8 hours while continuing the stirring at a rate of 600 r.p.m., whereby spherical, black polymer particles having an average diameter of 50 µm were produced.

0073The polymer particles contained the magnetite uniformly dispersed therein, were not easily broken up even by supersonic treatment, had magnetism due to the magnetite, and could be collected or moved by means of a magnet even in a dispersion. Further, the polymer particles had an excellent ability to support thermally denatured immunoglobulin G, and were suitable for carrier, and these particles could easily be separated and recovered by utilizing their sensitivity to a magnet.

0074The polymer particles can be improved in performance characteristics as a specific carrier by the improvement of their surface characteristics, for example, the introduction of a carboxyl group by the hydrolysis treatment of the particle surfaces.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2

0075Polymerization was conducted in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the y-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane was omitted. The resulting polymer particles contained the magnetite dispersed therein, but they showed an uneven dispersion state of magnetite and were easily broken up by supersonic treatment.

EXAMPLE 5

0076<tables id="tabl0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0019.tif" /></tables>

0077The above-mentioned materials were mixed to prepare a liquid monomer composition, which was then added to 300 ml of a 1% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution and suspended therein by stirring. The resulting suspension was heated to 80°C and subjected to polymerization for 6 hours while continuing the stirring at a rate of 300 r.p.m., to produce spherical, black polymer particles having an average diameter of 0.4 mm.

0078The polymer particles contained the carbon black uniformly dispersed therein, and were difficult. to break up even by supersonic treatment. Further, they had an excellent ability to support thermally denatured immunogloblin G and were suitable for carrier.

EXAMPLE 6

0079<tables id="tabl0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0020.tif" /></tables>

0080The above-mentioned materials were mixed to prepare a liquid monomer composition, which was then added to 500 ml of a 2.5% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution and suspended therein by stirring. The resulting suspension was heated to 80°C and subjected to polymerization for 8 hours while continuing the stirring at a rate of 600 r.p.m., to produce spherical, black polymer particles having an average diameter of 15 um.

0081The polymer particles contained the magnetite uniformly dispersed therein, were difficult to break up by supersonic treatment, had an excellent ability to support anti-HBs antibody and thermally denatured immunoglobulin G, and were useful for carrier.

EXAMPLE 7

0082<tables id="tabl0004" num="0004"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0021.tif" /></tables>

0083The above-mentioned materials were dissolved in 300 ml of ethyl alcohol, and into the resulting solution was dispersed 30 g of fine particles of ° ferrite (average length of the major axis: 300 A) which had not been subjected to the surface treatment, after which the resulting dispersion was heated to 70°C and subjected to polymerization for 6 hours while stirring it at a rate of 500 r.p.m., to produce spherical polymer particles having an average diameter of 0.2 µm.

0084The thus obtained polymer particles contained the ferrite uniformly dispersed therein, had a uniform. sensitivity to a magent, and were not easily broken up by supersonic treatment. The polymer particles had an excellent ability to support anti-HBs antibody and were useful as a carrier.

EXAMPLE 8

0085In a mixed solution of 40 g of styrene, 10 g of Y-methacryloxytrimethoxysilane and 1 g of benzoyl peroxide was dispersed 50 g of the polymer particles obtained in Example 6, and the resulting dispersion was suspended in 300 ml of a 1% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution. Subsequently, the resulting suspension was heated to 80°C and subjected to polymerization for 8 hours while continuously stirring it at a rate of 500 r.p.m., to produce spherical polymer particles having an average diameter of 100 µm.

0086This polymer particle contained a plurality of the polymer particles of Example 6, and the whole surface thereof was coated with a styrene-Y-methacryloxytrimethoxysilane copolymer.

0087Further, the polymer particles were not easily broken up even by supersonic treatment, had an excellent ability to support thermally denatured immunoglobulin G, and were suitable for carrier.

EXAMPLE 9

0088In a 1-liter, four-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, a reflux condenser, a dropping funnel and a thermometer was placed 400 ml of a 3% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution. To the solution was added a homogeneous mixture separately prepared by stirring at 600 r.p.m. 80 g of styrene, 20 g of acrylonitrile, 2 g of benzoyl peroxide, 1.0 g of t-dodecylmercaptan and 100 g of the polymer particles obtained in Example 6 with ice-cooling. The resulting mixture was stirred at 3,500 r.p.m. with ice-cooling for 30 minutes, and when the particle diameter of the organic phase reached 7 µm, the mixture was heated to 85°C and subjected to polymerization for 5 hours. Thereafter, the unreacted monomers were recovered under reduced pressure, and the polymer particles were separated by centrifugation and then washed with three 500-ml portions of warm water. There were produced 185 g of polymer particles. As a result of observation under a microscope, the average particle size was found to be 4.4 um. The elements present on the surfaces of the polymer particles obtained were examined by use of ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) in the usual manner. As a result, there were shown only absorptions due to carbon derived from the polymer and due to oxygen in the air adsorbed on the polymer surface, and the presence of iron element was not detected. The polymer particles were attracted by a magnet.

EXAMPLE 10

0089With 100 g of the polymer particles obtained in Example 1 were mixed 30 g of styrene, 10 g of methacrylic acid, 2 g of benzoyl peroxide and 0.3 g of t-dodecylmercaptan, and the resulting mixture was subjected to polymerization in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain polymer particles. The polymerization conversion was 80%. The surfaces of the polymer particles were subjected to measurement by use of ESCA as in Example 9. As a result, the presence of carbon and oxygen on the surfaces of the polymer particles was ascertained but iron was not detected thereon. The polymer particles were attracted by a magnet, and had an average diameter of 30.9 um.

EXAMPLE 11

0090A solution prepared by dissolving 20 ml of <chemistry id="chem0017" num="0017"><img file="EP0097516A2_D0022.tif" /></chemistry>which was a silane coupling agent, in 200 ml of ethanol was added dropwise at room temperature with stirring to 1 liter of water containing 100 g of lead oxide particles having an 0 average diameter of 200 A. The resulting mixture was heated and refluxed with stirring for 1 hour. The thus obtained mixed solution was cooled and then added to 3 liters of ethanol with stirring, after which the resulting precipitate was filtered off, washed with two 300-ml portions of ethanol, and then dried under reduced pressure. Suspension polymerization was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the 60 g of magnetite particles having an oleophilic property imparted by the treatment with potassium oleate in Example 1 was replaced by 60 g of the lead oxide particles obtained above having an oleophilic property imparted by the treatment with the silane coupling agent, to obtain 325 g of filler-containing polymer particles having an average diameter of 36 µm.

0091Further, 400 ml of a 2.5% by weight aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution was placed in a 1-liter, four-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, a reflux condenser, a dropping funnel and a thermometer. On the other hand, 100 g of styrene, 20 g of 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, 3.5 g of benzoyl peroxide, 0.5 of t-dodecylmercaptan, and 100 g of the polymer particles obtained above were previously stirred together at 3,500 r.p.m. with ice-cooling for 30 minutes, and when the average particle diameter of the organic phase reached 70 um, the thus obtained mixture was heated to 85°C and subjected to polymerization for 5 hours. The unreacted monomers were recovered under reduced pressure, and the polymer particles were separated by centrifugation and then washed with three 500-ml portions of warm water, to produce 205 g of polymer particles. The average particle diameter thereof was 47 pm as measured by means of a microscope. As a result of measurement using ESCA as in Example 9, the presence of carbon and oxygen on the surfaces of the polymer particles were ascertained, but no lead was detected thereon. The density of the polymer particles obtained was measured by use of a flotation- preceptation process in the usual way. The density was 1.28 g/ml.

EXAMPLE 12

0092In 350 ml of water was dispersed 100 g of the polymer particles obtained in Example 1, after which 5 g of methacrylic acid and 95 g of styrene were added, and the resulting mixture was heated to 80°C with stirring. Subsequently, 0.5 g of potassium peroxide was added thereto, and the mixture thus obtained was subjected to polymerization at 80°C for 6 hours to obtain polymer particles. The polymerization conversion was 95%. The surfaces of the polymer particles were subjected to measurement by using ESCA as in Example 9. As a result, the presence of carbon and oxygen on the surfaces of the polymer particles was ascertained, but no iron was detected thereon. The polymer particles obtained were attracted by a magnet, and their average particle diameter was 45 um.

EXAMPLE 13

0093To 80 ml of MEM (a trade name for a culture medium of Nissui Seiyaku) containing 5% by weight of bovin embryoserum was added 0.5 g of the polymer particle obtained in Example 5. In the mixture was then suspended 4 x 10⁴ V 79 cells (pneumal fibroblast of Chinese hamster). After allowing the suspension to stand for 4 hours in an atmosphere of air containing 5% by volume of carbon dioxide in order to attach the cells to the polymer particles, the cells were cultured for 7 days while slowly stirring the suspension with a teflon-made stirring rod. After completion of cultivation, a magnetic force was applied from outside of the culture vessel to collect the polymer particles to the bottom of the culture vessel, and then the vessel was inclined while maintaining the polymer particles in said state, whereby MEM was allowed to flow out. Then, the polymer particles were washed with phosphate buffer saline (-) solution, after which the polymer particles were collected to the bottom of the culture- vessel and phosphate buffer saline (-) solution was allowed to flow out in the same manner as above. Then, 2 ml of 0.25% by weight phosphate buffer saline (-) solution of trypsin was added to peel off the cells from the surface of polymer particles, after which the polymer particles were collected to the bottom of vessel by magnetic force and the phosphate buffer saline (-) solution of trypsin was recovered in the same manner as above. The number of V 79 cells in this phosphate buffer saline (-) solution of trypsin was 3 x 10⁶.

0094The result of this Example demonstrates the superiority of the polymer particle of this invention as a cell culture bed.