Coating nanoparticles (NPs) onto the surfaces of polystyrene (PS) spheres provides the NPs with a support for enhanced stability and improved dispersion. This presentation describes a method to prepare uniform NP coatings that are well distributed over the surfaces of the PS spheres. This method is demonstrated for a number of different types of NPs with varying composition, shape and size. For example, the PS spheres were decorated with Au spheres and rods, ~3-nm diameter Pt NPs and ~40-nm diameter lanthanide upconverting NPs. The number of NPs coating each PS sphere was readily tuned while maintaining a uniform distribution over the surfaces of the PS sphere. This tuning effectively alters the NP parking area (surface area occupied by each NP on a PS sphere), which could have implications on the resulting properties of these NP coatings. Two types of bimetallic NP coatings were also prepared and their composition fine-tuned by controlling the relative ratios of NPs (Figure 1). This well-controlled method was used to prepare uniform NP coatings with a range of interesting catalytic and optical properties. The catalytic decolorization of azo dyes by NP coated PS spheres was demonstrated and the coatings found to be stable for several catalytic cycles. The application of NP coated PS spheres for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and biological imaging will also be discussed.

Multi-functional nanoparticle coatings on polystyrene spheres by design: Preparation and application to catalysis and sensing

247th National Meeting (2014)

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