abstract
The synthesis of core-shell Au nanoparticles protected by an amphiphilic block copolymer is investigated by distinct reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization routes. The controlled polymerization of polymer shells onto Au nanoparticles is attempted by using the macroRAFT (MR) agent based on 2-(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)2- methylpropionic acid synthesized via RAFT polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate and exploring several approaches, which include (i) post-modification; (ii) in situ synthesis and (iii) "grafting from" strategies. In the conditions investigated here all these strategies lead to Au polymer nanocomposites but morphological well-defined core-shell nanoparticles are only obtained by applying the "grafting from" strategy. In particular, conditions that promote chain extension from the MR agent adsorbed onto the Au nanoparticles are found necessary to obtain nanostructures with such morphological characteristics and that still show the localized surface plasmon resonance typical of colloidal Au nanoparticles.
keywords
CHAIN-TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION; CARBON NANOTUBES; BLOCK-COPOLYMERS; HYBRID LATEXES; ENCAPSULATION; PARTICLES; OXIDE; NANOCOMPOSITES; POLYMERS; SURFACES
subject category
Chemistry; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Materials Science
authors
Pereira, SO; Barros-Timmons, A; Trindade, T
our authors
Ana Margarida Madeira Viegas de Barros Timmons
Associate Professor
Sónia Oliveira Pereira
Research Fellowship
Tito Trindade
Full professoracknowledgements
This work was developed in the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (Ref. FCT UID/CTM/50011/2013), financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC. S. O. Pereira thanks FCT for her PhD grant SFRH/BD/80156/2011. The authors also thank for support from the project Encircle (IUPAC/0001/2009) and the Rede Nacional de Microscopia Eletronica at University of Aveiro.