In situ synthesis of the Ag/poly(4-vinylpyridine)-block-polystyrene composite nanoparticles by dispersion RAFT polymerization. Issue 20 (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Hui; Ding, Mingdu; Ding, Zhonglin; Gao, Chengqiang; Zhang, Wangqing
• Is Part Of: Polymer chemistry. Volume 8:Issue 20(2017)
• Page Start: 3203
• Page End: 3210
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Macromolecules -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1039/c7py00473g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-9954

Abstract

Abstract : A new method for the synthesis of metal/block-copolymer nanocomposites of poly(4-vinylpyridine)- b -polystyrene (P4VP- b -PS) and Ag nanoparticles by dispersion RAFT polymerization is proposed. Abstract : Metal/block-copolymer composite nanoparticles have been attracting considerable interest and are usually prepared by incorporating metal nanoparticles or metal ions into pre-prepared block copolymer nanoparticles. Herein, a new method of one-pot synthesis of the colloid-like metal/block-copolymer nanocomposites of poly(4-vinylpyridine)- block -polystyrene (P4VP- b -PS) and Ag nanoparticles by dispersion RAFT polymerization is proposed. This method employs the chelate polymer of poly(4-vinylpyridine) trithiocarbonate (P4VP-TTC) as both a macro-RAFT agent for dispersion RAFT polymerization and a stabilizer for Ag nanoparticles, and it affords a convenient synthesis of the Ag/P4VP- b -PS composite nanoparticles. Ag nanoparticles are uniformly embedded in the P4VP- b -PS nanoparticles to result into Ag/P4VP- b -PS composited nanoparticles. It is found that the size of the Ag/P4VP- b -PS composite nanoparticles increases either with the degree of polymerization of the polystyrene block or with the Ag fraction in the nanocomposites. This dispersion RAFT polymerization in the presence of a macro-RAFT agent stabilized metal nanoparticles is believed to be an efficient method to synthesize concentrated metal/block-copolymer nanocomposites.