AbstractPoly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [P(NIPAM-co-AAc)] microgels were synthesized by precipitation polymerization. Copper nanoparticles were successfully fabricated inside the microgels by in-situ reduction of copper ions in an aqueous medium. The microgels were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Hydrodynamic radius of P(NIPAM-co-AAc) microgel particles increased with an increase in pH in aqueous medium at 25 °C. Copper-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [Cu-P(NIPAM-co-AAc)] hybrid microgels were used as a catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Effect of temperature, concentration of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and catalyst dosage on the value of apparent rate constant (kapp) for catalytic reduction of 4-NP in the presence of Cu-P(NIPAM-co-AAc) hybrid microgels were investigated by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. It was found that the value of kapp for catalytic reduction of 4-NP in the presence of Cu-P(NIPAM-co-AAc) hybrid microgel catalyst increased with an increase in catalyst dosage, temperature and concentration of NaBH4 in aqueous medium. The results were discussed in terms of diffusion of reactants towards catalyst surface and swelling-deswelling of hybrid microgels.
Bimetallic nanoparticle generation from Au − TiO2 film by pulsed laser ablation in an aqueous medium
