Catalytic Activity Comparison of Gold Nanoparticles in Annealed and Quenched Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes

Two kinds of cationic spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB), quenched poly(methacryloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride) brush and annealed poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride) brush with polystyrene cores (PS-PMETAC and PS-PAEMH), were synthesized by photo-emulsion polymerization. The small and uniform gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were successfully immobilized in these two SPBs. The chain layer extension of the quenched SPB loaded with AuNPs (SPB-Au) was more complete than that of the annealed SPB-Au in alkaline system. Compared the catalysis of the prepared AuNPs onto the two SPBs, it was found that the catalytic activity of AuNPs in quenched SPB is higher than that in annealed SPB.