Preparation of Ag nanoparticles located P(St-co-MMA) composite microspheres by UV light

P(St-co-MMA) microspheres were prepared by photoinitiated dispersion copolymerization of styrene(St) with methyl methacrylate(MMA) in a mixture of ethanol and water(V(ethanol)/V(water)=7/3) using 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone(BDK) and polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) as the initiator and stabilizer,respectively.The effects of reaction time,the monomer ratio of St and MMA,amount of PVP and light intensity on the yield and diameter of P(St-co-MMA) microspheres were studied.Ag+ ions were reduced to silver by UV light using AgNO3 as metal sources in the presence of P(St-co-MMA) microspheres.At the same time,Ag nanoparticles were located to the surfaces of P(St-co-MMA) microspheres.The resulting composite microspheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM),laser light scattering(LLS) and X-ray diffractometry(XRD).It was found that the diameter of P(St-co-MMA) microspheres can be controlled in range from 500 to 800nm.The composite materials of silver nanoparticles/ P(St-co-MMA) microspheres were successfully synthesized.The mean diameter of silver nanoparticles was about 20nm.