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Poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate)/Ag composite microspheres: One‐pot fabrication and application as catalyst
Author(s) -
Xiao Hongping,
Xia Youyi
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.21708
Subject(s) - acrylonitrile , vinyl acetate , composite number , materials science , polymer chemistry , microsphere , chemical engineering , catalysis , polymer , copolymer , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , engineering
Abstract Waxberry‐like poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate)/Ag composite microspheres have been prepared simply and directly via a one‐step self‐assembly approach. The morphology, formation, and catalytic activity of the as‐prepared composite microspheres are further investigated. The difference in the solubility among different segments of poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate) is the basis of the formation of poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate) microspheres, while the CN groups on the surface of poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate) microspheres play an important role in the growth process from poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate) microsphere to poly(acrylonitrile‐ co ‐vinyl acetate)/Ag composite microsphere. It is found that bulk quantities of composite microspheres with high density of Ag nanoparticles on the surface can be obtained readily by controlling the concentration of AgNO 3 . The as‐prepared composite microsphere exhibits excellent catalytic activity on reduction of p ‐nitrophenol. This study may shed some light on the self‐assembly of other metal/polymer composite microspheres. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1767–1772, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers