Size crystallographic effects for silver and gold nanoparticles dispersed in a biopolymer matrix

Crystallographic size effects occurring during the formation of zero-valence silver and gold nanoparticles dispersed in a biopolymer polysaccharide matrix (arabinogalactan) have been studied by means of X-ray diffraction analysis. The average size of the nanoparticles has been found to increase with the increase in the metal content in the nanocomposite. Stabilization of the nanoparticles by the polymer matrix is accompanied by the decrease in the unit cell parameter of the metal correlated with the decrease in the coherent scattering length.