Preparation of Copper-Poly(2-vinylpyridine) Nanocomposites.

Ultrafine copper particles were prepared in a poly(2-vinylpyridine) matrix by the thermal decomposition of a copper formate-poly (2-vinylpyridine) complex. The steric bulk of the polymeric ligand precludes complexation of more than one pyridine moiety around copper and insures solubility of the complex. At temperatures above 125C, a redox reaction occurs where Cu sup (+2) is reduced to copper metal and formate is oxidized to CO sub 2 and H sub 2. The decomposition reaction was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectroscopy. Copper concentrations up to 23 wt% have been incorporated into the polymer by this technique. The presence of the polymeric ligand induces the redox reaction to occur at a temperature 80C lower than in uncomplexed copper formate.