3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane Mediated Controlled Synthesis of Functional Noble Metal Nanoparticles and Its Multi-Metallic Analogues in the Presence of Small Organic Reducing Agents for Selective Application

Abstract

ABSTRACTSynthesis of functional noble metal nanoparticles (AuNPs, AgNPs, and PdNPs) and its multi-metallic analogues have received greater attentions for selective applications. The selective applications of the these nanoparticles essentially requires the processability of as synthesized nanoparticles in the medium of desired polarity index that manifest the potential exploration of nanomaterial based design in targeted area. The use of conventional reducing and stabilizing agents during routine synthesis of such nanoparticles are not suitable with the system of practical significance and require additional reagents that limit the optimum activity of nanomaterial in targeted design. According there is a challenging issue in the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles that allow the controlled synthesis of such nanoparticles involving same starting material with option to control the processability of as generated nanomaterial in the system of desired polarity index. The present report is focused on such challenging issues. We have found that 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-APTMS) capped noble metal cations can be precisely converted into respective monometallic, bimetallic and trimetallic analogues and can be made processable in water at one end having controlled option to reversed the processability of the same in the toluene as a function of small organic reducing agents. The organic reducing agents not only convert 3-APTMS-capped noble cations into respective nanoparticles but also control the processability of the as generated nanoparticles in the systems of desired polarity index. The similar process also allows the synthesis of function bimetallic and tri-metallic nanoparticles. The role of cyclohexanone, formaldehyde and acetone in the presence of 3-APTMS is reported.