Abstract: Monodisperse polypyrrole(PPy) composite microspheres and hollow capsules based on the monodisperse core-shell gel template particles were prepared. The core-shell gel particles were obtained by the inward sulfonation of monodisperse polystyrene particles. The shell thickness and core size were synchronously controlled in the particle radius range. After the polymerization initiated by ammonium per sulfate(APS), PPy was formed in the sulfonated polystyrene shell. PPy hollow capsules were derived after the polystyrene cores were dissolved: their cavity size and shell thickness were synchronously controlled by using core-shell gel particles with different sulfonation extent. It is interesting that if Fe³⁺ was adsorbed into the sulfonated polystyrene shell as the initiator, the PPy-shell collapsed into a pile of small particles when the polystyrene core was dissolved.

Key words: Controlled shell thickness, Conductive polypyrrole/polystyrene composite microsphere, Polypyrrole hollow capsules