Ag3PO4-P(AM-co-MAA) composite microspheres were prepared by the combination of a polymeric microgel method and a reverse micelle technique. Novel silver-poly(acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) [Ag-P(AM-co-MAA)] composite microspheres with sizes ranging in the tens of micrometers and containing a patterned surface as well as core/shell structures were prepared by the chemical reduction of Ag3PO4-P(AM-co-MAA) composite microspheres in ethanol. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis revealed that the chemical composition of the"shell"is dominated by Ag, but the"core"is dominated by the template, P(AM-co-MAA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results demonstrate that the surface morphology of the Ag-polymer composite microspheres is similar to that of their precursors and can be controlled to a certain extent by varying the composition of the template copolymer, the approaches and the amount of Ag3PO4 deposited. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that the salt had been completely converted to Ag. Biological antimicrobial experiments showed that this kind of composites exhibit distinctive antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.