Silver nanoparticles: synthesis and size control by electron irradiation

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by irradiating solutions, prepared by mixingAgNO3 and poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA), with 6 MeV electrons. The electron-irradiated solutions andthe thin coatings cast from them were characterized using the ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis),x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanningelectron microscopy (SEM) techniques. During electron irradiation, the process offormation of the silver nanoparticles appeared to be initiated at an electron fluence of∼2 × 1013 e cm−2. This was evidenced from the solution, which turned yellow and exhibited the characteristicplasmon absorption peak around 455 nm. Silver nanoparticles of different sizes in the range60–10 nm, with a narrow size distribution, could be synthesized by varying the electron fluence from2 × 1013 to3 × 1015 e cm−2.Silver nanoparticles of sizes in the range 100–200 nm were also synthesized by irradiating an aqueousAgNO3 solution with 6 MeV electrons.