Abstract
The study focuses on an investigation of the influence of both citrate and mixed gelatin/citrate as a reductant and stabilizer on the colloidal stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)synthesized by a chemical reduction of Ag<sup>+</sup> ions after a short - (7th day) - and long - (118th day) - term storage. Formed AgNPs were characterized by a UV–vis Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Zeta-potential (ZP). The obtained results revealed that a short-term stability of the synthesized AgNPs was greatly influenced by a citrate stabilizer with the absence of gelatin. Smaller-sized AgNPs (average particle diameter of 3 nm), roughly spherical in a shape, were obtained with a narrow size distribution. The very negative value of the Zeta-potential confirmed a strong stability of the citrate capped AgNPs. However, a surface coating of the AgNPs by a gelatin/citrate stabilizer was found to be a dominant contributor in improving a long-term stability of the AgNPs (average particle diameter of 26 nm). The use of gelatin in mixed stabilizer solution provided the AgNPs with higher monodispersity and a controllable size after both the short and long-term storage.
Highlights
The fabrication of highly characterized nanomaterials requires a developing of their specific physical and chemical properties
The improving of significant parameters, which influence the stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against an aggregation state, is an essential task in the optimization of the AgNPs synthesis [3, 4]
The results of this study indicate the importance of the factors, such as stabilizer type, concentration and addition order of the reducing and stabilizer agents, reaction time and ionic strngth, that significantly affect the stability of the synthesized AgNPs in the colloid
Summary
The fabrication of highly characterized nanomaterials requires a developing of their specific physical and chemical properties. Among these nanomaterials, especially silver containing nanocomposites has a wide range of potential applications in diverse areas, such as, electronics, catalysis [1], cosmetics, wastewater treatment, textile industry and biomedical devices [2]. The improving of significant parameters, which influence the stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against an aggregation state, is an essential task in the optimization of the AgNPs synthesis [3, 4]. There are factors that influence the stability of AgNPs, such as the concentration of the precursor, pH, temperature, order of mixing of reactants and stabilizers [6, 7]. Different kinds of stabilizers/capping agents, such as surfactants, polymers and reducing agents, are used for the surface modification of AgNPs during their synthesis to control the size, morphology, stability, and physicochemical properties of AgNPs [8,9,10]
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