Effective oxidation protection of polymer micelles for copper nanoparticles in water†
Abstract
Copper nanoparticles are often susceptible to rapid oxidation in water. We report a water-dispersible and long-term stable copper nanoparticle protected by a block copolymer micelle that can effectively inhibit the access of oxygen to the copper inside its hydrophobic core, providing a sufficient diffusion barrier against oxidation in water.