Coated silver nanoparticle composites comprising a sulfonated polyester matrix and methods of making the same

Abstract

A composite structure includes a core particle including a sulfonated polyester matrix and a plurality of silver nanoparticles dispersed throughout the matrix and a shell polymer disposed about the core particle. A method includes heating a sulfonated polyester resin in an organic-free solvent adding a solution of silver (I) ion to the heated resin in water to form a mixture, forming of an emulsion of core particles comprising a sulfonated polyester matrix and a plurality of silver nanoparticles disposed within the sulfonated polyester matrix, and adding a styrene monomer and initiator to the emulsion of composite particles to form a shell polymer disposed about the core particles, thereby forming a composite structure. The composites herein are readily incorporated into various articles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.