Polyacrylamide-metal nanocomposites: one-pot synthesis, antibacterial properties, and thermal stability

The incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles into polymers is a hot research spot, since it endows the nanocomposites with new or improved properties by exploiting synergistic effects. Here we report a facile one-pot synthesis of polyacrylamide (PAM)-metal (M = Au, Ag, or Pd) nanocomposites in ethylene glycol (EG). The simultaneous polymerization of the acylamide (AM) monomer and formation of metal nanoparticles lead to a homogeneous distribution of metal nanoparticles in the PAM matrix. The sizes of Au, Ag, and Pd nanoparticles are 55.50 +/- 10.6, 14.15 +/- 2.57, and 7.74 +/- 1.82 nm, respectively. The reaction system only includes EG, AM monomer, and corresponding metal salt. EG acts as both the solvent and the reducing reagent. Also, no initiator for AM polymerization and no surfactant for stabilization of metal nanoparticles are used. Furthermore, this simple synthetic route does not rely on any special or expensive equipment, thus can be exploited to the synthesis of similar polymer-inorganic nanocomposites. Compared to PAM, the PAM-metal nanocomposites showed enhanced thermal stability and antibacterial properties.