Hydrophobization of silver nanoparticles through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

Abstract

This work describes the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-coated Ag@SiO₂ core–shell particles by conducting a Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (SI-ATRP). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were first prepared by the polyol synthesis and subjected to preliminary surface functionalization which includes the encapsulation in an insulating SiO₂ shell by an optimized Stöber method and functionalization of the shell with an ATRP initiator. The growth of an organic PMMA shell yields inorganic/organic core–shell particles with an enhanced dispersibility in non-polar solvents.