CO2-switchable polymer-hybrid silver nanoparticles and their gas-tunable catalytic activity†
Abstract
The design of controllable or “signal-triggered” metal nanoparticles is one of the emerging trends in nanotechnology and advanced materials. CO2-switchable polymer-hybrid silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by a one-pot reaction reducing AgNO3 and trithioester terminated PDEAEMA with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The hybrids showed a long-term stability, and their size and size distribution can be easily modulated by tuning the molar ratio of polymers to AgNO3. The hybrids not only exhibit hydrophobic–hydrophilic transitions in immiscible mixed solvents, but also undergo a switchable dispersion/aggregation states upon alternately treating with CO2 and N2. Moreover, this smart hybrid was preliminarily used as catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. The catalytic activity of the hybrids can be switched and monotonously tuned by varying the flow rate of CO2 purged into the reaction system, which may open a new avenue for tailoring the catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles toward a given reaction.