Colloidal silver deposition onto functionalized polystyrene microspheres

This paper presents a facile method for the preparation of silver/polystyrene (Ag/PS) composite microspheres. PS microspheres with carboxyl and nitrile groups on the surfaces were synthesized via a two-step dispersion copolymerization of styrene, itaconic acid, and acrylonitrile in ethanol–water media. Ag/PS composite microspheres were prepared successively by addition of AgNO3 aqueous solution to the dispersion, absorbing to the surfaces of functional PS microspheres, and then reduction of Ag+ ions to silver nanoparticles by aqueous hydrazine hydrate. The results showed that Ag nanoparticles with size of about 50 nm were located on the shell of PS microspheres due to the combined interactions between the carboxyl and nitrile groups of PS microspheres and the in situ formed silver nanoparticles. The as-prepared Ag/PS microspheres showed good catalytic properties.