Synthesis and characterization of monodisperse copper nanoparticles using gum acacia

A simple method was put forward in this paper for preparing colloidal copper nanoparticles in aqueous solutions using copper sulfate, gum acacia and hydrazine hydrate as copper precursor, capping agents and reducing agents, respectively, without any inert gas. The formation of nanosized copper was confirmed by its characteristic surface plasmon absorption peak at 604 nm in UV–vis spectra. The transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the as-synthesized copper fine spherical particles are distributed uniformly with a narrow distribution from 3 nm to 9 nm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) demonstrated that the obtained metallic nanoparticles are single crystalline copper nanoparticles. Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopic data suggested that the copper nanoparticles are coated with gum acacia. The effects of the quantity of gum acacia on the particle size were investigated by the UV–vis spectra and TEM images. The growth process of the nanoparticles was monitored by the UV–vis spectra. The mechanism of the formation copper nanoparticles was discussed. The process raised in this study can be served as an excellent candidate for the preparation of copper nanoparticles in a large scale production.     

Antifungal effects of 3D scaffold type gelatin/Ag nanoparticles biocomposite prepared by solution plasma processing

The 3D scaffold type biocomposites of gelatin/silver nanoparticles were prepared through the silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) formation in gelatin solution using solution plasma process (SPP) and their antifungal activity was evaluated. The mixture of 3% gelatin solution and silver precursor (AgNO₃; 1–10 mM) was subject to discharge at high voltage (1600 V) under the controlled conditions to form the suspension of Ag NPs in the gelatin matrix. The freeze-drying process of lyophilization was employed to fabricate the 3D scaffold type biocomposite of gelatin/Ag NPs from the suspension. The water-insoluble property was improved by cross-linking using UV-irradiation (λ = 254 nm for 15 min). The physical and chemical characteristics of the biocomposite were investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy, EDS, FE-SEM, and TEM. The results indicated that the 3D scaffold biocomposite of gelatin/Ag NPs had spherical shape with approximately 11–12 nm of diameter. The antifungal activity analysis suggested that the biocomposite with Ag NPs could inhibit the growth of Candida albicans as well as that of hyphae and spores of Aspergillus parasiticus significantly. MIC of the biocomposite for C. albicans and A. parasiticus was determined as 80 μg/ml and 240 μg/ml of Ag NPs, respectively. The growth inhibition of 92.8% was observed in the biocomposite with 10 mM Ag against C. albicans.     

Fabrication and characterization of silver/titanium dioxide composite nanoparticles in ethylene glycol with alkaline solution through sonochemical process

This paper aims to study fabrication and characterization of silver/titanium oxide composite nanoparticle through sonochemical process in the presence of ethylene glycol with alkaline solution. By using ultrasonic irradiation of a mixture of silver nitrate, the dispersed TiO₂ nanoparticle in ethylene glycol associated with aqueous solution of sodium oxide yields Ag/TiO₂ composite nanoparticle with shell/core-type geometry. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the Ag/TiO₂ composites showed additional diffraction peaks corresponding to the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of silver crystallization phase, apart from the signals from the cores of TiO₂. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of Ag/TiO₂ composites, which average particle size is roughly 80 nm, reveal that the titanium oxide coated by Ag nanoparticle with a grain size of about 2–5 nm. Additionally, the formation of silver nanoparticles on TiO₂ was monitored by ultraviolet visible light spectrophotometer (UV–Vis). As measured the optical absorption spectra of as-synthesized Ag nanoparticle varying with time, the mechanism of surface formatting silver shell on the cores of TiO₂ could be explored by autocatalytic reaction; the conversion of Ag particle from silver ion is 98% for the reaction time of 1000 s; and the activity energy of synthesizing Ag nanoparticles on TiO₂ is 40 kJ/mol at temperature ranging from 5 to 25 °C. Hopefully, this preliminary investigation could be used for mass production of composite nanoparticles assisted by ultrasonic chemistry in the future.     

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ocimum sanctum</Emphasis> (Tulsi) leaf extract and screening its antimicrobial activity

Development of green nanotechnology is generating interest of researchers toward ecofriendly biosynthesis of nanoparticles. In this study, biosynthesis of stable silver nanoparticles was done using Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract. These biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized with the help of UV–vis spectrophotometer, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Stability of bioreduced silver nanoparticles was analyzed using UV–vis absorption spectra, and their antimicrobial activity was screened against both gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms. It was observed that O. sanctum leaf extract can reduce silver ions into silver nanoparticles within 8 min of reaction time. Thus, this method can be used for rapid and ecofriendly biosynthesis of stable silver nanoparticles of size range 4–30 nm possessing antimicrobial activity suggesting their possible application in medical industry.     

Microwave-assisted rapid extracellular synthesis of stable bio-functionalized silver nanoparticles from guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava</Emphasis>) leaf extract

Our research interest centers on microwave-assisted rapid extracellular synthesis of bio-functionalized silver nanoparticles of 26 ± 5 nm from guava (Psidium guajava) leaf extract with control over dimension and composition. The reaction occurs very rapidly as the formation of spherical nanoparticles almost completed within 90 s. The probable pathway of the biosynthesis is suggested. Appearance, crystalline nature, size and shape of nanoparticles are understood by UV–vis (UV–vis spectroscopy), FTIR (fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), FESEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) techniques. Microwave-assisted route is selected for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles to carry out the reaction fast, suppress the enzymatic action and to keep the process environmentally clean and green.     

Laser ablation of silver and gold in liquid ammonia

Laser ablation of a silver (Ag) and/or gold (Au) target was performed in liquid ammonia (l-NH₃) at 233 K using nanosecond laser pulses of 1064, 532 and 355 nm wavelengths. An “in situ” monitoring of the ablation process by UV/vis/NIR spectroscopy has shown the evolution of the surface plasmon extinction band of silver or gold nanoparticles and thus confirmed their formation. While sols of Au nanoparticles in l-NH₃ are quite stable in air, those of Ag nanoparticles undergo oxidation to Ag(I) complexes with NH₃ ligands. On the other hand, formation of solvated electrons, namely of the (e⁻)NH₃ solvates, has not been unequivocally confirmed under the conditions of our laser ablation/nanoparticle fragmentation experiment, since only very weak vis/NIR spectral features of these solvates were observed with a low reproducibility. Reference experiments have shown that the well-known chemical production of these solvates is hindered by the presence of Ag and Au plates. Ag and Au targets can thus possibly act as electron scavengers in our ablation experiments.     

Colorimetric Sensing of Toxic Metal and Antibacterial Studies by Using Bioextract Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles

Here, we report the simple and cost effective colorimetric technique for the determination of toxic metals (Hg²⁺) in aqueous sample by using bioextract silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The indigenous AgNPs were synthesised by green and ecologically friendly style using extract of fig (Ficus carica) leaf. The synthesized AgNPs were confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy methods. The synthesis of AgNPs was observed by its colour changing from light yellow to dark brownish. The existence of furanocoumarins bioactive materials in the fig leaf extract, which act as bio-reducing and capping agent, help in the formation of stabilized silver nanoparticles. In addition, the bacterial activity of the synthesized silver nanoparticles was tested against gram-negative (Klebsiella oxytocam, Pseudomonas aeruginosam, Shigella flexneri and Proteus mirabilis), gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus) and one Candida (Candida albicans) human pathogen and the results showed moderate activity.     

A facile strategy to synthesize bimetallic Au/Ag nanocomposite film by layer-by-layer assembly technique

A facile strategy has been developed for the preparation of bimetallic gold–silver (Au–Ag) nanocomposite films by alternating absorption of poly-(ethyleneimine)–silver ions and Au onto substrates and subsequent reduction of the silver ions. The composition, micro-structure and properties of the {PEI–Ag/Au}_n nanocomposite films were characterized by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), transmisson electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The UV–vis characteristic absorbances of {PEI–Ag/Au}_n nanocomposite thin film increase almost linear with the number of bilayers, which indicates a process of uniform assembling. Appearance of a double plasmon bands in the visible region and the lack of apparent core–shell structures in the TEM images confirm the formation of bimetallic Au–Ag nanoparticles. The result of XPS also demonstrates the existence of Ag and Au nanoparticles in the nanocomposite films. TEM and FESEM images show that these Ag and Au nanoparticles in the films possess sphere structure with the size of 20–25 nm. The resulting {PEI–Ag/Au}_n films inherit the properties from both the metal Ag and Au, which exhibits a unique performance in SERS and electrocatalytic activities to the oxidation of dopamine. As a result, the {PEI–Ag/Au}_n films are more attractive compared to {PEI–Ag/PSS}_n and {PEI/Au}_n films.     

Laser-induced synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their conjugation with protein

Partially oxidized spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of different size are prepared by pulsed laser ablation in water and directly conjugated to protein S-ovalbumin for the first time and characterized by various optical techniques. UV–Visible spectrum of AgNPs showed localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak at 396 nm which red shift after protein addition. Further the increased concentration of AgNPs resulted a decrease in intensity and broadening of S-ovalbumin peak (278 nm), which can be related to the formation of protein NPs complex caused by the partial adsorption of S-ovalbumin on the surface of AgNPs. The red shift in LSPR peak of AgNPs after mixing with S-ovalbumin and decrease in protein-characteristic peak with increased silver loading confirmed the formation of protein–AgNPs bioconjugates. The effect of laser fluence on the size of AgNPs and nanoparticle–protein conjugation in the size range 5–38 nm is systematically studied. Raman spectra reveal broken disulphide bonds in the conjugated protein and formation of Ag–S bonds on the nanoparticle surface. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed quenching in fluorescence emission intensity of tryptophan residue of S-ovalbumin due to energy transfer from tryptophan moieties of albumin to AgNPs. Besides this, small blue shift in emission peak is also noticed in presence of AgNPs, which might be due to complex formation between protein and nanoparticles. The binding constant (K) and the number of binding sites (n) between AgNPs and S-ovalbumin have been found to be 0.006 M^?1 and 7.11, respectively.     

Experimental study of nanoparticles penetration through commercial filter media

In this study, nanoparticle penetration was measured with a wide range of filter media using silver nanoparticles from 3 nm to 20 nm at three different face velocities in order to define nanoparticle filtration characteristics of commercial fibrous filter media. The silver particles were generated by heating a pure silver powder source via an electric furnace with a temperature of 870°C, which was found to be the optimal temperature for generating an adequate amount of silver nanoparticles for the size range specified above. After size classification using a nano-DMA, the particle counts were measured by an Ultrafine Condensation Particle Counter (UCPC) both upstream and downstream of the test filter to determine the nanoparticle penetration for each specific particle size. Particle sampling time continued long enough to detect more than 10⁵ counts at the upstream and 10 counts at the downstream sampling point so that 99.99% efficiency can be detected with the high efficiency filter. The results show a very high uniformity with small error bars for all filter media tested in this study. The particle penetration decreases continuously down to 3 nm as expected from the classical filtration theory, and together with a companion modeling paper by␣Wang et al. in this same issue, we found no significant evidence of nanoparticle thermal rebound down to 3 nm.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of silver nanowires

Silver nanowires of 50–190 nm in diameters along with silver nanoparticles in the size range of 60–200 nm in prismatic and hexagonal shapes are synthesized through chemical process. The lengths of the silver nanowires lie between 40 and 1000 μm. The characterizations of the synthesized samples are done by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The syntheses have been done by using two processes. In the first process, relatively thicker and longer silver nanowires are synthesized by a soft template liquid phase method at a reaction temperature of 70 °C with methanol as solvent. In the second process, thinner silver nanowires along with silver nanoparticles are prepared through a polymer mediated polyol process at a reaction temperature of 210 °C with ethylene glycol as solvent. The variations of photoluminescence (PL) emission from the silver nanocluster dispersed in methanol as well as in ethylene glycol are recorded at room temperature under excitation wavelengths lying in between 300 and 414 nm. The blue–green PL emission is observed from the prepared samples and these emissions are assigned to radiative recombination of Fermi level electrons and sp- or d-band holes.     

Nonlinear optical properties of silver colloidal solution by in situ synthesis technique

The silver colloidal solutions were prepared by in situ synthesis technique in the presence of the Polymethyl Methacrylate, which was polymerized by reversible addition-fragmentation transfer. The UV–VIS spectra and transmission electron microscopy had shown the formation of sphere silver nanoparticles with average size of 10 nm. Nonlinear optical properties as a function of silver concentration were studied using Z-scan technique with 13 ns pulse duration at 532 nm. The optical nonlinearity enhancement was observed by increasing the concentration. The third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ was measured to 1.045 × 10⁻¹¹ esu when the concentration was 2.13 mg/ml. Besides, the sample was founded to exhibit a shift from saturable absorption to reverse saturable absorption at higher incident laser energy. The reverse saturable absorption was observed to be responsible for the optical limiting characteristics in our experiments.     

Catalytic degradation of organic dyes using biosynthesized silver nanoparticles

The green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles paved the way to improve and protect the environment by decreasing the use of toxic chemicals and eliminating biological risks in biomedical applications. Plant mediated synthesis of metal nanoparticles is gaining more importance owing to its simplicity, rapid rate of synthesis of nanoparticles and eco-friendliness. The present article reports an environmentally benign and unexploited method for the synthesis of silver nanocatalysts using Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds, which is a potential source of phytochemicals. The UV–visible absorption spectra of the silver samples exhibited distinct band centered around 400–440 nm. The major phytochemicals present in the seed extract responsible for the formation of silver nanocatalysts are identified using FTIR spectroscopy. The report emphasizes the effect of the size of silver nanoparticles on the degradation rate of hazardous dyes, methyl orange, methylene blue and eosin Y by NaBH₄. The efficiency of silver nanoparticles as a promising candidate for the catalysis of organic dyes by NaBH₄ through the electron transfer process is established in the present study.     

Synthesis of biomacromolecule-stabilized silver nanoparticles and their surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties

In this work, water soluble silver nanoparticles stabilized by biomacromolecule, were produced through using an aqueous solution of silver nitrate with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) under different reducing agents (such as sodium borohydride, hydrazine, N,N-dimethyl formamide) at the room temperature, where BSA provided the main function to form monodispersed silver nanoparticles. UV–vis spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectra, TEM and HR-TEM are used to characterize the BSA-capped silver nanoparticles under different condition. The results show that the formed silver nanoparticles have different size and morphology under the three different reducing agents. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of BSA was drastically quenched in presence of Ag nanoparticles from the results of fluorescence spectra. Furthermore, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering effects of the formed silver nanoparticles were also displayed and we made a comparison under three different reducing agents.     

Synthesis and characterization of radiation crosslinked nano silver- polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene oxide composites

Poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO/PVA) blends were modified by gamma irradiation in the presence of acrylic acid (AAc) monomer. The modified PVA/PEO blends were then complexed with silver nitrate salt and lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate. Transmission electron microscopy was used to determine the distribution as well as the particle size of the silver nanoparticles (NP) formed in the matrix. The UV–vis absorbance spectra of the prepared grafted nanocomposite membranes confirmed the formation of Ag NP based on their surface plasmon band at 438?nm. The electrical properties of the blended electrolyte polymer films were characterized and discussed.     

Green synthesis of silver-graphene nanocomposite-based transparent conducting film

In the present work, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)/graphene nanocomposite has been synthesized successfully by simple solvothermal method via green route. Citric acid is used as green reducing agent for the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and Ag ions. Silver nitrate is used as a precursor material for Ag NPs. As synthesized Ag NPs/graphene nanocomposite has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Experimental results confirm the reduction of GO and the successful formation of Ag NPs decorated graphene nanosheets. In addition, spray coating technique is employed for the fabrication of transparent conducting films. Enhancement in the optoelectrical signatures has been achieved using thermal graphitization of fabricated films. Thermal graphitization at 800 °C for 1 h marks the best performance of fabricated film with sheet resistance of ~3.4 kΩ/□ and transmittance (550 nm) of ~66.40%, respectively.     

Fusarium solani: a novel biological agent for the extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles

We report extracellular biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by Fusarium solani (USM-3799), a phytopathogen causing disease in onion, when challenged with 1 mM silver nitrate (AgNO₃). The formation of nanoparticles was characterized by visual observation followed by UV–Vis spectrophotometric analysis, which showed a peak at about 420 nm, which is very specific for silver nanoparticles. Further analysis carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), provides evidence for the presence of proteins as capping agent, which helps in increasing the stability of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations confirmed that silver nanoparticles were formed. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were found to be polydispersed, spherical in the range of 5–35 nm with average diameter of 16.23 nm. Extracellular synthesis of nanoparticles could be highly advantageous from the point of view of synthesis in large quantities and easy downstream processing.     

Gold and gold–silver core-shell nanoparticle constructs with defined size based on DNA hybridization

Nanoparticles represent versatile building blocks in material science and nanotechnology. Thereby, the defined assembly of nanostructures (13 and 56 nm in diameter, respectively) is of significant importance. Short DNA sequences can be bound to the nanoparticle surface thus enabling highly specific DNA hybridization-driven events that direct the formation of nanoparticle constructs. In this paper, examples for the defined formation of gold nanoparticle constructs are demonstrated. In addition, gold–silver core-shell nanoparticles are introduced as further building blocks for the hybridization-controlled formation of nanoparticle constructs.     

Modelling of optical absorption of silver NP’s produced by UV radiation embedded in mesostructured silica films

Hexagonal mesostructured films containing silver ions were obtained by sol–gel method. Brij 58 was used to produce channels into the film, which house these ions. The films were exposure to UV radiation to produced silver metallic nanoparticles. The presence of the metallic nanoparticles was determined by infrared spectroscopy and optical absorption. Besides, these nanoparticles and core–shell structures of silver–silver oxide nanoparticles were identified by high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy. From these measurements, the obtained size range for silver nanoparticles was 6.1 nm. The absorption spectrum located at 440 nm was modelled and well fitted with the Gans theory considering refractive index higher than the one coming from host matrix. This index is explained because the silver oxide shell modifies the local surrounding medium of the metallic nanoparticles.     

Green synthesis of nanocomposites consisting of silver and protease alpha chymotrypsin

The synergy of ultrasonication and the exposure to light radiation was found to be necessary in the formation of nanocomposites of silver and a protease alpha chymotrypsin. The reaction was carried out in aqueous medium and the process took just less than 35 min. Ultrasonication alone formed very negligible number of nanoparticles of <100 nm size whereas light alone produced enough number but the size of the particles was >100 nm.The effects of pH (in the range of 3–5, 9–10), ultrasonication time periods (0–30 min), ultrasonication intensity (33–83 W cm^?2), energy of light radiation (short UV, long UV and Fluorescent light) and time period of exposure (5–60 min) to different light radiations were studied.The formation of nanocomposites under these effects was followed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ag–chymotrypsin nanocomposites of sizes ranging from 13 to 72 nm were formed using the synergy of ultrasonication and exposure to short UV radiation. Results show that ultrasonication promoted nuclei formation, growth and reduction of polydispersity by Ostwald ripening.