Fabrication of modified-poly(divinylbenzene)/Au core–shell structure

A novel PDVB/Au core–shell structure was prepared by the chemical reduction of a gold–phenanthroline complex on the surface of a poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) cores (2–4 μm). The PDVB cores were synthesized by precipitation polymerization, and the surface was modified by introducing thiol and sulfonic acid groups. The modified surface structure was examined by FT-IR, XPS and EDS and the degree of sulfonation was measured according to its ion exchange capacity (IEC, 5.72 meq/g). The modified PDVB cores were immersed in a solution of a gold–phenanthroline complex and subsequently reduced to form gold nanoseeds. These were further grown in a solution of HAuCl4 and NH2OH to form gold nanoshells. The effects of the functional groups on the PDVB cores on fabrication of the core–shell structure were carefully examined. SEM and XPS were used to characterize the gold nanoshells. The presence of the functional groups could be of great assistance for the gold shell formation.