Patent ID: 7598317

Claim:
A method of making a precision fragmentation assemblage, comprising the steps of: (A) polymerizing a first monomer in aqueous medium to form plural fragmentation domains dispersed in said aqueous medium, said fragmentation domains comprising a first polymer; (B) combining a second monomer with said fragmentation domains in said aqueous medium; (C) optionally, combining a porogen with said fragmentation domains in said aqueous medium; (D) optionally, combining plural polymeric nanoparticles with said fragmentation domains in said aqueous medium; (E) agglomerating said plural fragmentation domains to form one or more agglomerate particles comprising said fragmentation domains, said second monomer, optionally said porogen, and optionally said polymeric nanoparticles; and (F) polymerizing said second monomer to form a second polymer, wherein said second monomer comprises at least one multi-ethylenically unsaturated monomer in an amount of at least 0.05 percent by weight to 100 percent by weight, based on the weight of said second monomer; wherein said precision fragmentation assemblage comprises: (i) a plurality of fragmentation domains; (ii) one or more fragmentation zones; wherein said fragmentation domain comprises said first polymer; and wherein said fragmentation zone comprises: (a) a connecting phase; (b) optionally, one or more pore phases; and (c) optionally, plural polymeric nanoparticles; wherein: said connecting phase comprises said second polymer; said second polymer comprises at least one multi-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, present as polymerized units, in an amount of at least 0.05 percent by weight to 100 percent by weight, based on the weight of said second polymer; said polymeric nanoparticles comprise a third polymer comprising, as polymerized units, a third monomer; and (iii) one or more tether groups covalently bound to a polymeric chain, wherein said polymeric chain is a chain selected from the group consisting of said first polymer, said second polymer, said third polymer, and combinations thereof; and wherein at least one monomer selected from said first monomer, said second monomer, and said third monomer is a monomer having a tether group, wherein said tether group comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of epoxy, vinyl, allyl, imino, imide, aziridinyl, hydrazide, amidino, hydroperoxy, formyl, methoxycarbonyl, carbamoyl, sulfone, sulfine, sulfeno, thiol, thiocarboxyl, thioformyl, pyrrolyl, piperidyl, indazolyl, carbazolyl, and combinations thereof.