γ-radiation synthesis of silver-polystyrene and cadmium sulfide-polystyrene nanocomposite microspheres

Silver-polystyrene and cadmium sulfide-polystyrene nanocomposite microspheres were fabricated by gamma-ray irradiation. Dispersion polymerization induced by gamma-ray irradiation was exploited to prepare monodispersed polystyrene microspheres. Silver (Ag) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles were generated on the polystyrene microsphere surface via subsequent reduction of Ag by gamma-ray irradiation, as well as by precipitation reaction of Cd2+ and S2-, which was released from the decomposition of Na2S2O3 upon gamma-ray irradiation. The products were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The TEM images demonstrate that well-dispersed silver (similar to 11 nm) and cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (similar to 23 nm) were attached to the surface of polystyrene microspheres (similar to 380 nm). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.