Microwave-assisted one-step synthesis of polyacrylamide-metal (M = Ag, Pt, Cu) nanocomposites in ethylene glycol.

Polyacrylamide-metal (M = Pt, Ag, Cu) nanocomposites with metal nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix have been successfully prepared with the corresponding metal salt and acrylamide monomer in ethylene glycol by microwave heating. This method is based on the single-step simultaneous formation of metal nanoparticles and polymerization of the acrylamide monomer, leading to a homogeneous distribution of metal nanoparticles in the polyacrylamide matrix. Ethylene glycol acts as both a reducing reagent and a solvent, thus no additional reductant is needed. Another advantage is that no initiator for AM polymerization and no surfactant for stabilization of metal nanoparticles are necessary. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra, and thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetric analysis (DSC).