Nanomorphology of polymer frameworks and their role as templates for generating size-controlled metal nanoclusters

The microporous (gel-type) functional resin co-poly-NN-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) (88% mol)/methacrylic acid (MAA) (8% mol)/N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) (4% mol) (MPIF(H)) is employed as the hosting framework for the production of resin-supported Pd-0) nanoclusters. The obtained composite MPIF-Na+/Pd-0 is prepared upon reducing, in ethanol, MPIF-Pd0.52+, obtained upon previous homogeneous dispersion of "Pd2+" inside the resin particles (XRMA control) through ion-exchange. Metal nanoclusters appear to be size-controlled (2.0 +/- 0.2 nm) and are seen to reasonably fit the predominant resin "nanopores" diameter, determined in ethanol (3.2 nm) by means of inverse steric exclusion chromatography (ISEC).