Temperature‐responsive catalytic performance of Ag nanoparticles endowed by poly (N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) microgels

In this study, we facilely introduce silver nanoparticles into Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid)(Poly(NIPAM‐co‐AA)) microgels and specially focus on the effect of hydrophilic acrylic acid segments on the responsive catalytic performance of silver nanoparticles. The obtained Poly(NIPAM‐co‐AA)/AgNPs composites are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The composites as catalysts are applied to the hydrogenation reaction of p‐nitrophenol and the related conditions such as reaction temperature, concentration of p‐nitrophenol, and the loadings of Ag nanoparticles are studied in detail. NIPAM segments of composites conveniently give silver nanoparticles a controllable characteristic for catalytic reaction by their conformation variation. AA segments of composites not only provide good stability and dispersibility for silver nanoparticles but also favor an easier diffusion of p‐nitrophenol to Ag NPs. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:708–718, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers