Preparation of various Janus composite particles with two components differently combined

Janus composite particles with a combination of organic and inorganic substances were synthesized by soap-free emulsion polymerization in which an amphoteric initiator of 2,2′-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-2-methylpropionamidine] (VA-057) was employed to introduce a polystyrene (PSt) lobe onto silica cores surface-modified with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (MPTMS). Thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the surface-modified silica particles and showed that a small amount of MPTMS introduced onto the surface of silica particles could successfully prepare SiO₂–PSt Janus particles. The oxide part of SiO₂–PSt Janus particles obtained with the polymerization was further surface-modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) to introduce positively charged amino groups on the silica surface. The silica surface modified with APS was covered with gold by electroless deposition in which a gold precursor of auric chloride was reduced with ascorbic acid in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. The electroless deposition of gold successfully produced Janus particles with a combination of gold and PSt surfaces. Furthermore, dissolution of the polymer component of the Au–PSt Janus particles in tetrahydrofuran led to another Janus type of particles with an inorganic combination of Au and SiO₂.