Water-soluble stable polymer nanocomposites with AuNPs based on the functional poly(1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone)

New water-soluble polymer nanocomposites with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using functional copolymer of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with N-vinylpyrrolidone (poly(VT-co-VP)) as a stabilizing matrix. The polymer AuNPs nanocomposites were studied by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption and thermogravimetric analysis. The gold content in nanocomposites ranged from 4.4 to 25.7%wt (the gold content depends on the ratio of poly(VT-co-VP):Au (III)). The obtained polymer nanocomposites consist of isolated gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 1–12 nm having a predominately spherical shape, which are uniformly distributed throughout the bulk of the polymer matrix. Nanocomposites contain AuNPs of various sizes, which is determined by the ability of the polymer matrix to stabilize the different metal contents. The resulting AuNPs nanocomposites are promising materials for the design of novel hydrophilic antiseptics and antimicrobial components for medical purposes.