Abstract
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized by reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) aqueous solution with hydrazine monohydrate. The AuNPs were immediately treated with cysteamine to obtain amine‐functionalized nanoparticles (Au‐NH2). The reaction of Au‐NH2 with epichlorohydrin and subsequent treatment with sodium hydroxide gave epoxidized AuNPs (Au‐EP). Then, thiol‐capped AuNPs (Au‐SH) were synthesized by reaction of Au‐EP with cysteamine. A ‘grafting to’ approach was utilized to graft bromine‐terminated poly(N,N′‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), synthesized via aqueous atom transfer radical polymerization, with various molecular weights (6280, 25 800, 64 200 and 87 600 g mol−1) onto Au‐SH to obtain Au‐P1, Au‐P2, Au‐P3 and Au‐P4 samples, respectively. All samples were exposed to temperature and pH variations, and Z‐average diameter was monitored using dynamic light scattering. According to the results, polymer‐grafted nanoparticles collapsed at lower temperatures with increasing solution pH for all molecular weight ranges due to deprotonation of tertiary amine groups. However, higher molecular weight polymers were more sensitive to pH variation especially in alkaline media. Also, a high degree of agglomeration was observed for Au‐P4 nanoparticles in alkaline media on increasing the temperature to 55 and 65 °C.
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