Tailored macroporous hydrogel–nanoparticle nanocomposites for monolithic flow-through catalytic reactors

Abstract

We demonstrate that macroporous poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAam) hydrogel monoliths with controlled microstructures and comprising gold, silver or palladium nanoparticles, display significant and tunable catalytic activity under continuous flow-through conditions. The reaction rate and the pressure drop strongly depend on the monoliths' porosity features. These materials are prepared by using porous polymer templates obtained from cocontinuous polymer blends.