Synthesis of PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres with catalytic and antibacterial activities

This paper describes a simple, mild, and environmentally friendly approach to synthesize polystyrene/Ag (PS/Ag) nanocomposite spheres, which makes use of both reducing and stabilizing functions of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in aqueous media. In this approach, monodisperse polystyrene (PS) spheres, which are used as templates for the synthesis of core-shell nanocomposite spheres, are sulfonated first. Then, [Ag(NH(3))(2)](+) ions are adsorbed onto the surface of the PS template spheres via electrostatic attraction between -SO(3)H groups (grafted on the surface of the PS template spheres) and [Ag(NH(3))(2)](+) ions. [Ag(NH(3))(2)](+) ions are then reduced by and simultaneously protected by PVP. In this way, the PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres in aqueous media are obtained through a so-called one-pot method. Neither additional reducing agents nor toxic organic solvents are utilized during the synthesis process. Furthermore, the coverage degree and the particle size of Ag nanoparticles on PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres is easily tuned by changing the concentration of [Ag(NH(3))(2)](+) ions in aqueous media. Moreover, these PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres can be used as catalyst for the reduction of organic dyes and as antibacterial agents against Salmonella and Escherichia coli. In the present study, these PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres exhibit excellent catalytic properties (both in efficiency and recyclability) for the reduction of organic dyes, and the preliminary antibacterial assays indicate that these PS/Ag nanocomposite spheres also possess extraordinary antibacterial abilities against Salmonella and Escherichia coli.