Surface hydroxyl-functionalized poly(styrene-co-hydroxyethyl acrylate) [P(S-co-HEA)] micro sphere were used to prepare P(S-co-HEA)/silver composite particles. Based on the weak interaction between silver ions and hydroxyl, silver ions were adsorbed onto the polymer surface and reduced by diethanolamine (DEA). The morphology of P(S-co-HEA)/Ag was easily controlled by the molar ratio of DEA/AgNO3. The composite particles were characterized by SEM, XRD, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The obtained P(S-co-HEA)/Ag particles with small and denser silver nanoparticles showed a high efficient activity to catalyze reduction of methylene blue (MB). While the P(S-co-HEA)/Ag particles with big and denser silver nanopartides showed highly sensitive Raman enhanced performance. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.