Redispersible Gold Nanoparticle/Polymer Composite Powders Ready for Ligand Exchange Reactions

Abstract Dry powders embedded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are produced by spray‐drying technique from an aqueous AuNP dispersion in a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) matrix. The prepared powders consist of AuNPs stabilized in hollow capsules of PVA (PVA@AuNP) or PVP (PVP@AuNP) with an average diameter of several micrometers. The AuNP powders are dispersible in water and no agglomeration triggered by the spray drying process of AuNPs is observed. The PVA@AuNP powders are coextruded with polycaprolactone to demonstrate the industrial application of dry‐state AuNPs. With PVP@AuNP the incorporation of AuNP into other stabilizing polymers via ligand exchange method is facilitated. After each step, the active surface of the AuNPs was tested by catalytic studies.