Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using sunlight

• Published in: Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. A, Chemistry. Chemistry., 2013-04, Vol.258, p.1-9
• Main Authors: Bhaduri, Gaurav A., Little, Ross, Khomane, Ramdas B., Lokhande, Suhas U., Kulkarni, Bhaskar D., Mendis, Budhika G., Šiller, Lidija
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Photochemistry; Silver nanoparticles; Sodium dodecyl sulphate; XPS
• ISSN: 1010-6030; 1873-2666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2013.02.015

[Display omitted] ► Green method for synthesis of silver nanoparticles. ► Silver nanoparticles are synthesised at room temperature without the use of any reducing agent. ► Sodium dodecyl sulphate and sunlight together are responsible for synthesis of the silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently among the most widely used man-made nanomaterials, present in a huge range of consumer products. Here we report a simple ‘green’ method of AgNP synthesis of using an anionic surfactant without use of any additional reducing agents. It was observed that synthesis of AgNPs at room temperature (25–35°C) using sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sunlight. The nanoparticles have been characterised using high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy (HRTEM), UV–vis spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and are found to have an average diameter of 30nm. The nanoparticles are water soluble and the nature of the process is amenable to scaling up.