Preparation of novel metallic and bimetallic cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposites under microwave irradiation

A facile method utilizing microwave irradiation is described that accomplishes the cross-linking reaction of PVA with metallic and bimetallic systems. Nanocomposites of PVA-cross-linked metallic systems such as Pt, Cu, and In and bimetallic systems such as Pt-In, Ag-Pt, Pt-Fe, Cu-Pd, Pt-Pd and Pd-Fe were prepared expeditiously by reacting the respective metal salts with 3 wt.-% PVA under microwave irradiation, maintaining the temperature at 100 degrees C, a radical improvement over the methods for preparing cross-linked PVA described in the literature. The general preparative procedure is versatile and provides a simple route to manufacturing useful metallic and bimetallic nanocomposites with various shapes, such as. nanospheres, nanodendrites and nanocubes.