Abstract

Herein, we report a feasible approach for preparation of crosslinked alginate (Alg) and poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) nanogels (Alg-PAMAM NGs), using a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsion route, via strong electrostatic interactions between anionic groups coming from alginate and previously incorporated Cu2+ ions. CuO nanoparticles (NPs) with average diameter about 65 nm were in situ obtained into Alg/PAMAM nanogels by treatment of embedded Cu2+ ions in NGs with NaBH4 at 25 degrees C under air atmosphere. The prepared Alg-PAMAM and Alg-PAMAM-CuO NGs were characterized using FT-IR and UV-visible spectroscopy, as well as scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The presence of PAMAM dendrimers helped both to obtain structurally compact nanogels and an adequate stabilization of CuO NPs. Finally, the photocatalytic performance of the Alg-PAMAM-CuO NGs was tested via the decomposition of methyl orange in aqueous solution, under visible light irradiation.