Synthesis and Properties of Asymmetric Polystyrene/PNIPAM-Gold Composite Particles
Description
Asymmetric polystyrene-gold composite particles are successfully synthesized alongside core-shell composite particles via a one-step Pickering emulsion polymerization method. Unlike core-shell particles which form in the droplet phase of a stabilized Pickering emulsion, asymmetric particles form via a seeded growth mechanism. These composite particles act as catalysts with higher recyclability than pure gold nanoparticles due to reduced agglomeration. With the addition of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) monomers, temperature-responsive asymmetric and core-shell polystyrene/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-gold composite particles are also synthesized via Pickering emulsion polymerization. The asymmetric particles have a greater thermo-responsiveness than the core-shell particles due to the increased presence of NIPAAM monomers in the seeded-growth formation. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-containing asymmetric particles have tunable rheological and optical properties due to their significant size decrease above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST).
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2014-05
Agent
- Author (aut): Rabiah, Noelle Ibrahim
- Thesis director: Dai, Lenore
- Committee member: Torres, Cesar
- Committee member: Zhang, Mingmeng
- Contributor (ctb): Barrett, The Honors College
- Contributor (ctb): Chemical Engineering Program