Novel dendritic nanostructures: self-assemblies of nanoparticles of poly(vinyl alcohol) coated Ag and/or Cu2O

Novel dendritic nanostructures, which are actually self-assemblies of nanoparticles of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) coated Ag and/or Cu2O, were controllably synthesized in an aqueous solution of amphiphilic polyvinylacetone (PVKA) (DH = 0.549), via a one-step in situ reduction of Ag+ and Cu2+ under γ-ray irradiation, using the low hydrolysis rate of the PVKA in the dilute acidic solution. Subsequently, the hydrolysis of PVKA yields PVA chains.