Synthesis of silver nanoparticles in mesoporous high-aluminum aluminosilicate matrices

A new method for the synthesis of Ag/Al_xSi_1–xO_2–0.5x nanocomposite materials was proposed. The method is based on the use of charged mesoporous aluminosilicate matrices as nanoreactors. The porous structure of the matrices was characterized by ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy and nitrogen capillary sorption at 77 K. An increase in the aluminum loading destroys the matrix structure and decreases the specific surface area. The resulting aluminosilicates were used as matrices for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The nanocomposites were examined by transmission electron microscopy and chemical analysis to estimate the silver percentage in specimens. Silver nanowires (20% Ag) are formed in the low-aluminum (<10 mol.%) matrices, whereas an increase in the aluminum percentage affords both nanowires and spherical particles 3–10 nm in size and decreases the total amount of silver in the nanocomposite.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2391–2393, November, 2004.