Silver nanoparticles in polyvinylpyrrolidone grafted natural rubber

Polyvinylpyrrolidone grafted natural rubber (PVP-g-NR) latex was used as matrix to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The average diameter of the silver nanoparticles is 4.1 nm. The modified natural rubber was previously formed via in situ polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) in natural rubber latex (NRL) using cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) as a redox initiator. The evidence of PVP grafted rubber particles was demonstrated by extraction as well as gravimetric and FTIR studies. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the Ag+/PVP-g-NR films after exposure to UV light, revealed distinct layers comprised of PVP-stabilized silver particles surrounding the rubber particle. This confirms the grafting of PVP, which stabilizes the silver particles as well as the rubber particles in a role that is similar to that of the protein in our previous work.