CuS-poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) composite microspheres with patterned surface structures: preparation and characterization

N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AA) copolymer microspheres with various compositions were prepared by reverse suspension polymerization technique. The microspheres thus prepared were employed as micro-reactors for the deposition of CuS. In this way, several CuS-P(NIPAM-co-AA) composite microspheres with different surface morphologies were prepared. It was demonstrated that the surface structures of the composite microspheres can be tailored to a certain extent by varying the ratio of the two monomer units in the template (microgels) and/or the amount of CuS deposited. It is in prospect that the inherent advantages of microgel templates (the size, composition, charge nature and density, and crosslinking density could be easily controlled) would make the microgel template method extremely useful in the preparation of composite microspheres with different patterned surface structures.