An organic/inorganic nanocomposite consisting of polymuconate and silver nanoparticles

We have fabricated a nanocomposite consisting of a crystaline polymer and fine metal particles. The intercalation of afkali metal ions into the layered polymer crystals, which were prepared by the solid state polymerization of dodecylammonium muconate, was achieved by heterogeneously storing the reacting solid polymers in a solution of sodium hydroxide in methanol at room temperature. An ion exchange reaction was similarly carried out in a silver nitrate solution, which was followed by photoreductioa, leading to the formation of fine silver particles in the crystalline polymer (the organic matrix). By controlling the amount of silver ions introduced, we have fabricated an organic/inorganic nanocomposite containing silver nano-particles with well controlled size and distribution, the characteristics of which were measured by transmission electron microphotography, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and a small-angle X-ray scattering method.