Synthesis of Silver/Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Particles via a Combination of Inverse Miniemulsion and Silver Ion Reduction in a “Nanoreactor”

Abstract

Silver salt/poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)) hybrid particles were first prepared by inverse miniemulsion polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with silver tetrafluoroborate (AgBF(4)) as a lipophobe. High silver salt loads of up to 13% with respect to the disperse phase were achieved. The silver/poly(HEMA) hybrid particles were subsequently formed via a gas-phase in situ reduction of AgBF(4) by hydrazine on the surfaces of silver salt/poly(HEMA) particles. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The morphology of the hybrid particles of silver salt/poly(HEMA) and silver/poly(HEMA) was fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The influence of the reaction parameters including the type and amount of cosolvent, salt content, and type of surfactant on the particle properties and colloidal stability during the reduction process was thoroughly investigated.

Biomimetic Silver-Containing Colloids of Poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) and Their Film-Formation Properties

“…This agrees well with the conclusions developed concerning the reduction of Ag at the p(HEMA-co-MPC) interface. 2 These particulate structures were further analyzed by EDX to confirm whether these were indeed AgNPs.…”

Super-Adhesive Polymer–Silica Nanocomposite Layers

“…26 In contrast, atomized spray plasma deposition (ASPD) utilizes a precursor-nanoparticle slurry mixture for a single-step direct application. An additional advantage of the atomized spray plasma is that deposition rates are vastly enhanced compared to conventional vapour-phase plasma polymerization (by a factor exceeding 250), 43 which is due to the high throughput of precursor delivery into the plasma excitation zone.…”

“…zinc oxide, 2 calcium carbonate, 18 or silica 19,20,21 ) to the polymer, and used for the improvement of luminescence, 2 water uptake, 21 or mechanical properties of materials. 18,19,20 Previous methods for preparing poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) nanocomposite layers have included sol-gel reaction, 2,19,20 free radical polymerization, 22 photopolymerization, 23,24 emulsion polymerization, 25,26 controlled radical polymerization, 27,28 in-situ reduction 29,30 and solution intercalation. 31 Such wet chemical approaches tend to require catalysts, 27 high temperatures, 20 multiple steps, 2 or long reaction times.…”

An “active” and self-switchable nanoreactor

“…However, such nanoreactors do not have the potential for applications, since most of the reported polymers suitable for supporting metal nanoparticles are not PNIPAmbased polymers, which clearly lack thermal phase transitions. 5,6 Furthermore, it is challenging to identify the polymers' hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic properties during the catalytic process. Thus, new protocols suitable for the general development of nanoreactors are required.…”