Temperature‐responsive catalytic performance of Ag nanoparticles endowed by poly (<i>N</i>‐isopropylacrylamide‐<i>co</i>‐acrylic acid) microgels

Abstract

In this study, we facilely introduce silver nanoparticles into Poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide‐ co ‐acrylic acid)(Poly(NIPAM‐ co ‐AA)) microgels and specially focus on the effect of hydrophilic acrylic acid segments on the responsive catalytic performance of silver nanoparticles. The obtained Poly(NIPAM‐ co ‐AA)/AgNPs composites are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The composites as catalysts are applied to the hydrogenation reaction of p ‐nitrophenol and the related conditions such as reaction temperature, concentration of p ‐nitrophenol, and the loadings of Ag nanoparticles are studied in detail. NIPAM segments of composites conveniently give silver nanoparticles a controllable characteristic for catalytic reaction by their conformation variation. AA segments of composites not only provide good stability and dispersibility for silver nanoparticles but also favor an easier diffusion of p ‐nitrophenol to Ag NPs. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:708–718, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers