Transparent polystyrene (PS) latexes were prepared by photo-polymerization of a routine styrene (St) emulsion with a surfactant concentration of 0.4 wt% and a monomer concentration of 10 wt%, by using UV light as well as a hydrophilic photo-initiator. The entire polymerization could be performed within 1-2 h and display a conversion higher than 90%. The particle sizes could be tuned in the range of 20-40 nm. The formation mechanism for these of nano-sized latex particles was attributed to an in situ formation of PS chains with terminal hydroxyl groups. The presence of the hydroxyl-functionalized polymer chains seemed to promote a colloidal stability of the small latex particles and prevent coagulation even at low surfactant concentrations. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.