Grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering study of silver nanoparticles in ion-exchanged glasses

Abstract

The size and distribution of silver nanoparticles in ion-exchanged silicate glass induced by thermal treatments in air at different temperatures were investigated by means of grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering technique, X-ray diffraction and optical absorption spectra. Silver–sodium ion exchange of soda-lime silicate glasses was done at 350°C for 240min, then the samples were treated by thermal annealing in air at different temperatures 400, 500 and 550°C, respectively, for 1h. After the annealing treatment above 400°C for 1h, smaller Ag nanoparticles occurred, together with bigger ones. Both dissolution of smaller Ag nanoparticles and diffusion of larger ones are discussed in these stages of annealing in this contribution.