Photochemical Formation of Colloidal Silver in the Presence of Benzophenone

Abstract

Abstract An aqueous silver perchlorate–sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)–benzophenone (BP) solution was photolyzed with either UV or near-UV light. Irradiation with 253.7 nm light, which was absorbed by both BP and silver ions, brought about the formation of collidal silver and the photobleach of BP. Peptization of colloidal silver agglomerates after prolonged irradiation was ascribed to electron injection from the benzophenone ketyl radical (BPK). The formation of colloidal silver and the photobleach of BP were also caused by irradiation with 365 nm light, which was absorbed solely by BP (sensitized reaction). A simple reaction scheme was introduced and the initial rates for the sensitized photoreduction of silver ions and the photobleach of BP were expressed in closed forms. Suitable combinations of the kinetics parameters and the extinction coefficient of colloidal silver were proposed in order to interpret the dependences of the initial rates on the reactant concentrations.