Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer beads with montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared using a suspension polymerization method for applying acrylic bone cements. The polymer beads were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to examine MMT dispersion. The change in the shape and size of the polymer beads due to the preparation conditions, such as stirring speed, degree of polymerization, and concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a suspension stabilizer, and MMT contents, etc. was observed by scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. The prepared polymer beads were composed of polymer-intercalated nanocomposites with partially exfoliated MMT layers. The size of the polymer beads was decreased by increasing the stirring speed. The bead size was decreased with increasing the degree of polymerization and the concentration of PVA molecules. MMT addition into the monomer portion increased the size of the corresponding polymer beads. The bead size was slightly reduced by adding of styrene to the MMA solution. The incorporation of PMMA into monomer portion enlarged the bead size. (c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.