Characteristics of polypyrrole electrodeposited onto roughened substrates composed of gold–silver bimetallic nanoparticles

In this work, the characteristics of polypyrrole (PPy) films electrodeposited onto an electrochemically roughened gold substrate with bimetallic silver and gold nanoparticles were first investigated. First, a silver substrate was roughened by a triangular‐wave oxidation–reduction cycle (ORC) in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M HCl. Subsequently, a gold substrate was roughened by a similar ORC treatment in this used solution. The results revealed that the surface of the roughened gold substrate demonstrated two different kinds of deposition domains because of the modification of silver nanoparticles. Encouragingly, some novel characteristics of PPy deposited onto this substrate were observed, in comparison with those on the roughened gold substrate without the modification of silver nanoparticles. They included a denser and more compact surface morphology, higher oxidation degree, increased conductivity, and improved surface‐enhanced Raman scattering. Furthermore, the nucleation and growth mechanism for PPy electropolymerization on this silver‐modified roughened gold substrate was distinguishable from that on the unmodified one. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2724–2731, 2006     

Sonoelectrochemical synthesis of spike-like gold-silver alloy nanoparticles from bulk substrates and the application on surface-enhanced Raman scattering

The synthesis of non-spherical spike-like gold-silver alloy nanoparticles on platinum substrates was first developed by sonoelectrochemical methods in this study. First, a silver substrate was roughened by a triangular-wave oxidation-reduction cycle (ORC) in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M HCl. Silver-containing complexes were found in the solution after the ORC treatment. Then a gold substrate was subsequently roughened by the similar ORC treatment in the same silver complexes-containing solution. After this procedure, Au- and Ag-containing complexes were left in the solution. Subsequently, the Au working electrode was immediately replaced by a Pt electrode. A cathodic overpotential was applied under controlled sonication and slight stirring to synthesize Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles on the Pt substrate. Encouragingly, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of Rhodamine 6G on the Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles-deposited Pt substrate exhibits a higher intensity by eight-fold of magnitude and a better resolution, as compared to that obtained on the Au nanoparticles-deposited Pt substrate.     

Solvothermal synthesis of silver nanoparticles from thiolates

A new solvothermal method for the synthesis of thiol-protected silver nanoparticles starting from silver thiolates is reported. The method has been tried with thiols of different chain length, such as octane and octadecane thiols, and the particle size was found to be nearly the same for both molecules. The synthesis was dependent on heating conditions and the best results were obtained when the temperature was between 180 and 200 degrees C. Addition of complexation agents such as acetyl acetone or triethylamine to the solvent did not change the product distribution significantly.     

Biomolecule-assisted synthesis of water-soluble silver nanoparticles and their biomedical applications

The application of nanoparticles in the biomedical field is an exciting interdisciplinary research area in current materials science. In the present study, size-tunable and water-soluble noble metal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been successfully synthesized with the assistance of glutathione (GSH). The as-synthesized Ag NPs are ready to bind covalently with a model protein (bovine serum albumin) in mild conditions. The optical property of surface-modifiable Ag NPs was extremely sensitive to their size and the surface modification, suggesting a potential in the biomedical analysis and detection. Furthermore, Ag NPs with an average diameter of ca. 6 nm effectively suppress the proliferation of human leukemic K562 cells in the dose- and time-dependent manners, suggesting the promising potential of Ag NPs in cancer therapy.     

Synthesis and plasmonic properties of silver and gold nanoshells on polystyrene cores of different size and of gold–silver core–shell nanostructures

Simple methods of preparing silver and gold nanoshells on the surfaces of monodispersed polystyrene microspheres of different sizes as well as of silver nanoshells on free-standing gold nanoparticles are presented. The plasmon resonance absorption spectra of these materials are presented and compared to predictions of extended Mie scattering theory. Both silver and gold nanoshells were grown on polystyrene microspheres with diameters ranging from 188 to 543 nm. The commercially available, initially carboxylate-terminated polystyrene spheres were reacted with 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride (AET) to yield thiol-terminated microspheres to which gold nanoparticles were then attached. Reduction of silver nitrate or gold hydroxide onto these gold-decorated microspheres resulted in increasing coverage of silver or gold on the polystyrene core. The nanoshells were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. By varying the core size of the polystyrene particles and the amount of metal (silver or gold) reduced onto them, the surface plasmon resonance of the nanoshell could be tuned across the visible and the near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Necklace-like chain aggregate structures of gold core–silver shell nanoparticles were formed by reducing silver nitrate onto free citrate-gold nanoparticles. The plasmon resonance absorption of these nanoparticles could also be systematically tuned across the visible spectrum.     

A controlled and reproducible pathway to dye-tagged, encapsulated silver nanoparticles as substrates for SERS multiplexing

Silver nanoparticles tagged with dyes and encapsulated within a silica layer, offer a convenient potential substrate for performing multiplexed surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis. In contrast to our earlier work with gold particles, aggregation of silver particles is found to be mostly independent of dye addition, allowing for a reproducible preparation in which aggregation is actively induced by the addition of NaCl. Separating the aggregation step eliminates competitive binding between the dyes and silica-coating reagents, enabling the efficient use of a wide variety of weakly binding dyes to conveniently generate robust, high-intensity SERS substrates at a variety of excitation frequencies.     

The electrochemistry of gold–platinum alloys

The electrochemical properties of gold, platinum and gold–platinum alloy electrodes under different heat treatment conditions have been studied in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ and 0.5 M NaOH. The electro-oxidation of 0.1 M ethylene glycol in 0.5 M NaOH at these electrodes has also been studied. It was found that all the gold–platinum electrodes are more active for ethylene glycol electro-oxidation than both pure gold and platinum, and that the gold–platinum electrodes in the solid solution condition are more active than the two-phase electrodes. Poisoning of all the electrodes occurs during electrolysis of ethylene glycol at a fixed potential. Potential pulsing is successful in removing the poisoning species formed at the pure gold and pure platinum electrodes. High apparent current densities are found during the first few cycles at the Au–Pt alloy electrodes. These high current densities are also associated with more severe poisoning – than at both pure gold and platinum – and longer cleaning cycles are needed to remove the poisons at these electrodes.     

Bio-inspired sustainable synthesis of silver chloride nanoparticles and their prominent applications

Advanced nanotechnology is an enormously growing area due to its massive scope of applications for diverse domains of applied science and engineering. Numerous types of synthetic procedures are utilized for the creation of nanoparticles (NPs) due to their myriad application scenarios. However, known conventional physical and chemical strategies have a number of shortcomings. Consequently, the designs of facile, clean, safer, non-noxious, reliable, inexpensive and eco-friendly processes for manufacturing of NPs are being explored actively to circumvent these barriers. The phytogenic fabrication of NPs is much safer, one-pot, facile, and a sustainable methodology. Hence, divergent biological means like the use of plants, biopolymers, fungi, fibres, bacteria, enzymes, etc., are pursued the procurable biogenic fabrication of metallic NPs. In this review paper, current findings on the bio-inspired fabrication of silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl-NPs) are deliberated, which have with their useful appliances in assorted sectors. The experimental protocols, advanced characterization techniques along with diverse applications of biogenically synthesized AgCl-NPs have been highlighted.     

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles for ammonia sensing

Silver nanoparticles synthesized by a reagent less method involving only UV radiation have been used in colorimetric assay for the detection of ammonia in solution. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by the exposure of a silver nitrate solution to a low-power UV source in the presence of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA), which acted both as reducing and capping agent. The synthesis of the silver nanoparticles was studied by monitoring the changes in position and amplitude of the localized plasmon resonance (LSPR) band using UV-vis spectroscopy. The morphology of the particles was studied using transmission electron microscopy which confirmed the formation of spherical particles with an average particle size around 8 nm. Interestingly, the silver nanoparticles solution was found to display a strong color shift from purple to yellow upon mixing with increasing concentration of ammonia ranging from 5 to 100 ppm. Hence, the nanoparticles prepared with this method could be used as colorimetric assay for sensing applications of ammonia in water.     

Pulsed sonoelectrochemical synthesis of size-controlled copper nanoparticles stabilized by poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)

A novel sonoelectrochemical method for the size-controlled synthesis of spherical copper nanoparticles in an aqueous phase was developed. In this study, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was used as the stabilizer for the copper clusters. The copper nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, UV-vis, IR, DLS, TEM, and HRTEM. The PVP was found to greatly promote the formation rate of copper particles and to significantly reduce the copper deposition rate, thereby making monodispersed copper nanoparticles. We could control the particle size by adjusting various parameters such as current density, deposition, temperature, and sonic power, and improve the homogeneity of the copper particles. The results also showed that the transfer rate of PVP-stabilized copper clusters from the cathodic vicinity to the bulk solution played an important role in the preparation of the monodispersed nanoparticles.     

Synthesis of gold–polyaniline nanocomposites by complexation

Complexation synthesis methods have been examined in the preparation of nanogold–polyaniline systems. This extends work previously reported on the use of a spontaneous redox coupling of aniline polymerization to the reduction of a gold salt added to the monomer and mixed initially at the molecular level. The extension involves the addition of an additional reducing agent in the form of borohydride. The end product of the nanoparticle Au–PANI composite is very much a function of the borohydride : Au and N : Au ratios used in the synthesis. The size of the resulting gold particles can be directly tuned in the diameter range 2–10 nm by adjusting the borohydride : Au ratio used. Thorough characterization of the structures of the composites has been undertaken. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Curcumin-derived one-and two-component organogelators and their performance as template for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles

A single-component gelation system based on bis-cholesteryl appended curcumin derivative (BCC) and its corresponding two-component organogelation system with sodium stearate (SS) was proposed. As a single component gelator, BCC forms gel with ethylene diamine (ED), through hydrogen bonding between carbonyl group of BCC and amino group of ED as indicated by temperature dependent solid state NMR (SSNMR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles. As two-component gelator, BCC forms gel with a variety of solvents in the presence of sodium stearate (SS). Replacing sodium stearate by other sodium and stearate sources failed to form gel, revealing that both BCC and SS are crucial for effective gelation. The ion-dipole interactions between sodium and keto group of SS and BCC respectively, as well as π-π interactions confers better gelation abilities to BCC-SS system compared to the single component system. The morphology of the as-formed organogels exhibited entangled fibrillated structures and can be regulated by changing the composition of SS towards BCC and the type of organic solvents. Interestingly, our designed gelator, BCC-ED demonstrates potential application as an effective template for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at low temperatures as demonstrated by XRD and SEM analysis. Replacing BCC or ED failed to form AgNPs, revealing the synergistic effect of BCC-ED.     

Nature-inspired biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles for antibacterial applications

In recent decades, nanotechnology has been empowered as a new and developing interdisciplinary region of science and innovation that coordinates material science and biology. Nanoscience and nanotechnology open up new streets of examination that are helpful in synthesizing novel nanomaterials with remarkable applications. Among different metal nanomaterials, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) attracted the attention of researchers due to their versatile antibacterial characteristics and biological properties. Biogenically synthesizing AgNPs from plants and microorganisms seems to be a highly promising alternative for developing a technology that is both environmentally benign and fast. Plants and microorganisms' ability to synthesize AgNPs has mostly remained untapped, and the lack of investigation is due to the vast variety of plants and microorganisms. This review aims to describe the current progress in various synthetic techniques for AgNPs and their potential for antibacterial applications. It discusses biogenic synthetic approaches, the role of various metabolites in the growth processes of AgNPs with antibacterial implications, bactericidal mechanisms, and the influence of operational parameters on AgNPs synthesis. Furthermore, the present status, critical challenges, and future outlook of AgNPs will be explored, which will definitely affect their present and future scenarios. We believe that by focusing readers' attention on nature-inspired, biogenically synthesized AgNPs and their bactericidal applications, this review will enable them to formulate a new perspective.     

Hyaluronan-assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles and nanowires

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Silver nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized in high yield in cationic surfactant solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with hyaluronan...     

Electrochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles in solution

Silver nanoparticles in the bulk solution were obtained by the potentiostatic electrolysis in undivided cell using silver anode at the potential of the mediator reduction (tetraviologen calix[4]resorcine) at room temperature in DMF/0.1 M Bu₄NPF₆ media. The metal nanoparticles aggregate to form larger particles eventually.     

Immobilization of silver nanoparticles into POEGMA polymer brushes as SERS‐active substrates

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted a great deal of interest during the past four decades and emerged as an ultrasensitive optical technique for chemical and biomedical analysis. It is widely accepted that the facile fabrication of SERS substrates with high activity and good reproducibility is of crucial importance for their applications. Herein, we report on a fast and robust method for the synthesis and immobilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA) brushes under mild conditions without using any reducing agents. POEGMA brushes of different chain lengths were synthesized directly on silicon wafers by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization with various reaction time. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope measurements indicated that the AgNPs were firmly and homogeneously embedded into POEGMA brushes. The resulting POEGMA–AgNP hybrid films were employed as SERS substrates for the detection of 4‐aminothiophenol, giving rise to an enhancement factor of up to 1.9 × 10⁶. The influence of the POEGMA's chain length on SERS performance was also investigated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Honey mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The paper reports the pH controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles using honey as reducing and stabilizing agents. By adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution containing metal ions and honey, nanoparticles of various size could be obtained at room temperature. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible, high-resolution TEM, XRD and FTIR measurements. The colloid obtained at a pH of 8.5 is found to consist of monodispersed and nearly spherical silver nanoparticles of size ～4 nm which is a significant advancement in biosynthesis. The high crystallinity with fcc phase is evidenced by clear lattice fringes in the high-resolution TEM image and peaks in the XRD pattern corresponding to (1 1 1), (2 0 0), (2 2 0), (3 1 1) and (2 2 2) planes. FTIR spectrum indicates that the nanoparticles are bound to protein through the carboxylate ion group.     

A surfactant‐free synthesis of the silica nanosphere‐supported ultrafine silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial effects

In this study, a facile, efficient, and surfactant‐free method to synthesize silica nanosphere‐supported ultrafine silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (~2.5 nm) was developed, and their antibacterial effects were investigated. In the synthesis process, the hydrolysis of 3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane was adopted to provide thiol groups and in situ reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰ for ultrafine AgNPs formation on the surface of the silica nanosphere. Electron microscopy characterization of the complex formed revealed that the ultrafine AgNPs were not agglomerated and grow without any surfactants because there were no excess electrons transported from the shell to reduce the silver ions to silver atoms. The antibacterial effects of the supported ultrafine AgNPs with the surfactant‐free surface were evaluated against the Escherichia coli even at very low dosage. After incubation with 20 μg/mL silica‐supported AgNPs up to 120 min, 99.7% of the E. coli were inactivated, according to the bacterial viability measured by flow cytometry.     

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Macrotyloma uniflorum

Green synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles is a vast developing area of research. In this paper we report the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous seed extract of Macrotyloma uniflorum. The effect of experimental parameters such as amount of extract, temperature and pH on the formation of silver nanoparticles was studied. The as prepared samples are characterized using XRD, TEM, UV-Visible and FTIR techniques. The formation of silver nanoparticles is evidenced by the appearance of signatory brown colour of the solution and UV-vis spectra. The XRD analysis shows that the silver nanoparticles are of face centered cubic structure. Well-dispersed silver nanoparticles with anisotropic morphology having size ～12 nm are seen in TEM images. FTIR spectrum indicates the presence of different functional groups in capping the nanoparticles. The possible mechanism leading to the formation of silver nanoparticles is suggested.