Ag nanoparticles-coated silica–PMMA core-shell microspheres and hollow PMMA microspheres with Ag nanoparticles in the interior surfaces

This paper described a simple method of preparing Ag nanoparticles-coated silica–poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core-shell microspheres by chemical reduction and emulsion polymerization. Ag nanoparticles-coated silica microspheres were fabricated by chemical reduction. After adsorbing a layer of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and growing another layer of silica shell, the composite microspheres were modified by 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (MPS). Then using emulsion polymerization method, a layer of PMMA shell was formed on the composite particles. Etching away the silica microspheres by hydrofluoric acid (HF), the hollow PMMA microspheres with Ag nanoparticles in the interior surfaces were fabricated. These composite microspheres were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–vis spectrophotometer.