Synthesis of sensitive hybrid polymer microgels for catalytic reduction of organic pollutants

Multiresponsive tercopolymer microgel poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) was synthesized by free radical emulsion polymerization. The silver and gold nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed in polymer network by in-situ chemical reduction method at 10 and 40 °C using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. FT-IR spectroscopy confirms the microgel synthesis and existing of metal nanoparticles inside the polymer network. Temperature and pH sensitivity on particle size of the microgel particles was investigated by dynamic light scattering. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the size of Ag and Au nanoparticles is 13 and 7 nm, respectively. The catalytic activity of hybrid microgels was studied for the reduction of aqueous solutions of 4-nitrophenol, congo red and methylene blue as model reactions.