Abstract
The controlled structure and properties of nanocomposite materials consisting of colloidal metal nanoparticles embedded in synthetic polymer hydrogels were investigated. A method was developed for synthesizing nanocomposite materials consisting of colloidal gold (Au) nanoparticles embedded in poly(n-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels. It was found that the increasing polymer hydrophililcity by copolymerizing NIPAm with hydrophilic or charged monomers raises the LCST of the thermoresponsive hydrogels. The results show that the immobilization of highly charged Au nanoparticles and the interactions between the particles and hydrogels causes changes in the swelling degree and thermal phase transitions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1074-1079 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Advanced Materials |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 13 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 5 2004 |