Surface characterization of nanoparticles carrying pH-responsive polymer hair

The surface of near-monodisperse colloidal polystyrene (PS) latex particles carrying pH-responsive poly[2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEA) polymer chains as a steric stabilizer has been extensively characterized in dry and wet states. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurement studies confirm that PDEA chains are located on the PS latex particle surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies reveal that the sterically stabilized PS particles have a core-shell morphology and wet atomic force microscopy data confirm that the pH-responsive PDEA component covers the PS latex core and the thickness of the protonated steric polymer is estimated to be approximately 15 nm. The PS latex particles can be easily dispersed in acidic aqueous media (pH 3.0) whilst they flocculate in basic aqueous media (pH 10.0) due to the pH-responsive PDEA hair. This dispersion–flocculation cycle of the PS latex is fully reversible.