Easy reversible clustering of gold nanoparticles via pH-Induced assembly of PVP-b-PAA copolymer

The growing demand of novel hybrid organic/inorganic systems with exciting properties has contributed to an increasing need for simplifying production strategies. Here, we report a simple method to obtain controlled three-dimensional hybrid architectures, in particular hybrid supracolloids (hSC), formed by gold nanoparticles and a double hydrophilic block copolymer, specifically the poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PAA-b-PVP), directly in aqueous medium. The ubiquitous pH-sensitive poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) block initiates the assembly through pH changes, while the poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) block assures the close affinity with the AuNPs. We demonstrate that the formation of hybrid supracolloids (hSC) is the result of the synergetic behavior of the two specific polymeric blocks. Additionally, the entire process shows spontaneous and fast switchability. The nanostructured copolymer behaves like a highly swollen hydrogel and displays a disordered internal structure. The driving force for the association of the copolymer chains is induced by the synergetic effects of the decrease in solubility of the poly(acrylic acid) block and the formation of inter and intra chains hydrogen bonds. These were demonstrated by using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX). In turn, the AuNPs are randomly spread all over the polymeric matrix, as demonstrated by field emission gun - scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM). A correlation analysis reveals the hSC density depends mostly on the initial concentration of AuNPs. These results can inspire the fabrication of more complex structures with multicomponent composition.