Metal dication cross-linked polymer network colloids as an approach to form and stabilize unusually small metal nanoparticles

Abstract

Reduction of Cu(II) cations immobilized as cross-linkers in polyacrylate network colloids produce relatively small (∼3 nm) Cu metal particles which are further tuned to smaller size (∼1.5 nm) by partially substituting Ca⁺² for Cu⁺² in the polymer network colloid.