Different Concentrations Of Ag Nanoparticles Research Articles

Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B Using ZnO Microspheres Decorated with Ag Nanoparticles

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has demonstrated significant potential as a photocatalyst for the wastewater treatment. However, its wide bandgap leads to inefficient light utilization and rapid carrier recombination, which inhibits its photocatalytic activity. To overcome these limitations, we employed a hydrothermal method to synthesize Ag/ZnO composite microspheres with different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles. By utilizing Ag complexed with ZnO, the Ag/ZnO composite photocatalysts were made to have a narrower bandgap and a broadened light response range, as well as the red-shift phenomenon at the absorption edge. In addition, Ag nanoparticles can act as electron traps to efficiently capture electrons and minimize the recombination of photoexcited carriers for improved photocatalytic performance. Compared with other concentrations of ZnO microspheres and pure ZnO microspheres, the 5% Ag/ZnO composite microspheres exhibited excellent degradation performance when exposed to a xenon lamp, with 90.1% degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) solution in 100[Formula: see text]min. Incorporating trapping agents in experimental studies has indicated that the RhB degradation process is significantly influenced by •O[Formula: see text], while the impact of •OH and h[Formula: see text] were relatively weak. Thus, Ag/ZnO nanocomposites hold great promise as materials for use in wastewater treatment.

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles by electrochemical method

In this work, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) were synthesized by electrochemical method, using a metallic silver cathode and anode in deionized water. The polarity was inverted every 60 seconds generating a voltage variation in order to obtain three different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles: 16 ppm, 24 ppm and 34 ppm. The synthesized nanoparticles were structurally, optically and morphologically characterized by XRD, UV-Vis and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), respectively. XRD patterns showed the peaks at 38.11° and 64.42° from Ag. The surface plasmon resonance peak in absorption spectra on silver colloidal solution showed absorption from 422 nm to 429 nm. TEM measurement provided an average particle size for the concentrations of 16 ppm, 24 ppm and 34 ppm of 4.23 nm, 3.95 nm and 3.27 nm, respectively. The test with the E. coli bacteria showed that there is an inhibition in the growth of the bacteria with the presence of silver nanoparticles.

Combination of multiple routes to enhance DSSC performance: Flower-like structure of SnO2 as photoanode and modification with Ag nanoparticle

SnO2 is an attractive photoanode material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), but it has many drawbacks and needs to be modified. In this study, flower-like SnO2 particles are firstly prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal synthesis method respectively, and the effect of hydrothermal reaction time on the growth of the particles is explored. The morphological and structural characterisation reveals that the flower-like particles have a larger specific surface area can provide more adsorption sites for dye molecules and are more suitable for photoanode materials. Then the optimal flower-like SnO2 particles are selected to prepare the photoanode, which is also modified with different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles to successfully introduce the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, and the optimal modification concentration is explored. Conformal characterisation, dye adsorption and light absorption tests revealed that the modification of Ag nanoparticles not only optimises the photoanode conformal structure and improves the dye adsorption, but also works in conjunction with the LSPR effect to improve the light absorption and utilisation, thus increasing the cell efficiency. Many cell performances of DSSC are also greatly improved due to the above work, and the optimal cell performance of DSSC is achieved when the Ag nanoparticles doping concentration is 0.03 M. Compared with the pure flower-like SnO2-based photoanode DSSC, the short-circuit current density of the best Ag nanoparticle-modified DSSC is enhanced by 28.56% to 15.80 mA/cm2, and its efficiency is improved by 20.82%–5.92%.

Dual S-scheme CuSe-Cu3Se2/Ag-PANI heterostructures for the impressive degradation of dye pollutants

A dual S-scheme structure for the photocatalytic activity of copper selenide (CuxSey)/Ag-polyaniline (CuxSey/Ag-PANI) nanocomposites to degrade dye pollutants under visible light illumination conditions has been proposed. In the first step, PANI composites have been decorated by Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with different concentrations of Ag NPs. Then, a cost-effective and straightforward co-precipitation method has synthesized the CuxSey/Ag-PANI nanocomposites with different Ag NPs concentrations. Additions of the CuxSey/Ag-PANI nanocomposites, pristine CuxSey nanostructures, and CuxSey/PANI nanocomposites have also been synthesized with the same conditions. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images indicated the CuxSey nanostructures in the nanocomposites included two phases that were CuSe nanodisks with a few nanometers in thickness and Cu3Se2 NPs with average diameters of 10±2 nm. In contrast, the pristine CuxSey nanostructures have included several extra phases. These microscopy images showed the Cu3Se2 NPs have decorated the CuSe nanodisks. According to the UV–vis results, the Ag NPs in the CuSe-Cu3Se2/Ag-PANI nanocomposites showed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects, and this factor became one of the most critical factors for the better photocatalytic performance of the CuSe-Cu3Se2/Ag-PANI nanocomposites. By comparing the Fermi level (Ef) of the structures that make up the CuSe-Cu3Se2/Ag-PANI heterostructures, these structures had the conditions for forming the dual S-scheme structure. Based on this structure and also the synergistic effect of the plasmonic properties of the Ag NPs, the reason for the better photocatalytic performance of the CuxSey/Ag-PANI nanocomposites compared to the pristine CuxSey nanostructures and CuxSey/PANI nanocomposites has been explained.

The Effect of Changing the Concentration of Silver Nanoparticles on the Antibacterial Properties of Silver-PVP Composite-Coated Implants

Background: The body’s ability to fight the infection in the vicinity of implants decreases, resulting in an increased risk of local infection around the implants. According to importance of this issue, this study investigates the antibacterial properties of implants coated via silver-PVP nanocomposite.
 Methods: In this research, silver nanoparticles have been synthesized by green synthesis method and using the coffee powder. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern confirms the formation of metallic structure of silver nanoparticles. Particle size has been studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Digital Light Scattering (DLS) analysis, showing that the average particle size is about 17 nm. The implants have been coated via silver-PVP nanocomposite using deep coating method at different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles, and antibacterial properties of these samples have been investigated. The obtained results demonstrate a very large non-growth halo in the presence of silver-PVP coating. Also, the repeatability of non-growth halo test, toxicology analysis and pull off adhesion of samples have been studied and analyzed.
 Results: According to the MTT results, the appropriate concentration of silver-PVP nanocomposite without cell toxicity has been obtained equal to 118.6 µg/ml. At this concentration, the non-growth halo for both types of bacteria is clearly visible. By repeating the antibacterial test after 5 days, it was observed that the non-growth halo of implants is lasting.
 Conclusion: Overall, it can be stated that this study presents a simple, operational, repeatable, and large-scale method for coating the implants and medical equipment that prevents the development of infection in the vicinity of implants.

Amine-Functionalized Silane-Assisted Preparation of AgNP-Deposited α-Ni(OH)2 Composite Materials and Their Application in Hg2+ Ion Sensing.

A facile synthetic methodology for the deposition of different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) on α-Ni(OH)2 sheets (α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5, α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag1, α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag2, and α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag3) is reported using N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]diethylenetriamine (TPDT) silane. The TPDT aminosilane facilitates the formation of α-Ni(OH)2 sheets and reduces the Ag+ precursor to AgNPs, leading to the deposition of AgNPs on α-Ni(OH)2 sheets. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission microscopy analyses, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the prepared α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5-3 composite materials. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping images and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping images were recorded to understand the α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag composite sheet materials. The optical sensing property of α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5-3 composite materials toward toxic Hg2+ ions were investigated using a UV-vis absorption spectroscopy technique. The α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag2 composite material showed selective sensing behavior.

Influence of Ag nanoparticles on physiological and biochemical aspects of callus of Thymus species and Zataria multiflora Boiss.

Thymus species have found remarkable importance in food and medicine industries. The present study investigates the potential effect of Ag nanoparticle elicitors on proliferation of callus, and production of carvacrol and thymol in Zataria multiflora and three Thymus species. Firstly, callus was induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2 mg l−1 of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 1 mg l−1 of kinetin (Kin)). Secondly, the effects of two different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (4 and 8 mg l-1) were studied on callus growth and its secondary metabolites production. Results elucidated that after elicitation by 8 mg l-1 ofAg NPs, significantly the highest callus growth rate (CGR) (0.02 mm day-1), callus fresh mass (CFM) (0.99 g), and carvacrol (0.68 mg l-1) and thymol (11.09 mg l-1) content was achieved. Comparing different Thymus species, notably the greatest carvacrol and thymol amount was obtained in .kotschyanus Boiss. & Hohen. and T. Daenesis Čelak. at 8 mg l-1 concentration ofAg NPs. Hence, it is evident that the stimulation by NPs is dose-dependent. This study has potential to be commercially applied for the enhancement of pharmaceutical compounds in different species of Thymus.

Physiological and molecular responses of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seedlings to silver nanoparticles

Due to their anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, silver (Ag) nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly being used in consumer products. In this study, the effects of applying different concentrations of AgNPs (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg L−1) on the growth, leaf concentrations of Ag, micro and macro-elements, leaf concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2, total antioxidant activity and activity of antioxidant enzymes in leaf extracts and leaf expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and chalcone synthase (GSH) genes were investigated in black cumin (Nigella sativa) seedlings. Results showed that AgNPs treatments led to increases in Ag concentrations in leaves and roots, with the accumulation in roots being slightly higher than leaves. AgNPs treatments at concentrations over 20 mg L−1 reduced growth, biomass production and accumulation of macro- (P, Mg and Ca) and micro-elements (Zn, Cu, Mn and B) and increased total antioxidant activity and MDA and H2O2 contents. Application of AgNPs also increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) in leaf extracts when compared to the controls. The activity and expression of PAL and CHS enzymes also increased significantly with AgNPs treatment. Results indicate that the oxidative stress induced by AgNPs in black cumin plants is counteracted by increases in the activity of antioxidant systems and the expression and activity of PAL and CHS enzymes.

Light-scattering properties of microorganisms Desulfuromonas acetoxidans by influence of silver

The article deals with the concentration changes and relative content of bacterial cells of Desulfuromonas acetoxidans in the intervals of sizes 0.2–2.0 µm under the influence of nano silver particles. Correlation between these changes of light-scattering properties of bacterial cells and growth abilities of bacteria Desulfuromonas acetoxidans under inflence of silver nanoparticles and ions has been shown. The purpose of the work was to research the intensity of processes the change of indexes of the antioxidant system the cells of Desulfuromonas acetoxidans at influence of silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate. The influence of various concentrations of silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate on enzymatic activity of catalase and reduced glutathione synthesis by Desulfuromonas аcetoxidans cells under their cultivation with fumarate addition and with absence of sulphur has been determined. Specific catalase activity increased with enhancing of concentration and duration of bacterial cultivation under the addition of this salt. The highest specific catalase activity was determined on the second day of bacterial growth under the influence of all concentration range of investigated metal salt. The reduced glutathione content under silver nitrate and silver nanoparticles exposure varied depending on the cultivation time and metal concentration. The maximum reduced glutathione content has been observed. The result of catalase activity changes and glutathione content changes of sulfur-reducing D. acetoxidans bacteria cell-free extracts and has been investigated under the influence of different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles during four days of cultivation has been investigated.

Ag nanoparticles enhancingPhaseolus vulgarisseedling development: understanding nanoparticle migration and chemical transformation across the seed coat

Synchrotron techniques allow a systematic study in tissues from thePhaseolus vulgarisseed coat treated with different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles.

Enhanced Resistive Switching Effect in Ag Nanoparticles Embedded in Graphene Oxide Thin Film

In this paper, the effect of different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles embedded in graphene oxide (GO) for resistive random-access memory (RRAM) has been investigated. The spin-coating method was used for the deposition of a GO-Ag layer on indium tin oxide-coated glass substrate. The structural studies of the samples were carried out using x-ray diffraction. The morphology of the as-deposited layer was determined using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It has been observed that Ag-doped memory devices require low voltage to switch from OFF to ON and vice versa. The switching voltage was reduced by half in Ag-doped devices as compared to undoped devices with a high OFF/ON current ratio of ∼ 103. The electrical stability of Ag-doped devices was tested for 4 × 103 s. Also, the SET/RESET behavior was tested for up to 60 cycles at a read voltage of 0.2 V. It was observed that both electrical stability and SET/RESET behavior did not exhibit excessive degradation. The switching speed of the RRAM device was calculated using an oscilloscope and found to be ∼ 200 ns for the low-resistance state (LRS) and ∼ 1 μs for the high-resistance state (HRS). The capacitance in Ag-doped GO devices was recorded and found to be ∼ 400 pF in the HRS as compared to 20 pF in case of undoped GO devices. It has been concluded that the charge trapping and de-trapping mechanism in case of Ag-doped GO is responsible for the enhanced properties of fabricated RRAM devices.

Efficient nanoparticles removal and bactericidal action of electrospun nanofibers membranes for air filtration

Human exposure to air pollution and especially to nanoparticles is increasing due to the combustion of carbon-based energy vectors. Fibrous filters are among the various types of equipment potentially able to remove particles from the air. Nanofibers are highly effective in this area; however, their utilization is still a challenge due to the lack of studies taking into account both nanoparticle collection efficiency and antibacterial effect. The aim of this work is to produce and evaluate novel silver/polyacrylonitrile (Ag/PAN) electrospun fibers deposited on a nonwoven substrate to be used as air filters to remove nanoparticles from the air and also showing antibacterial activity. In order to determine the optimum manufacturing conditions, the effects of several electrospinning process parameters were analyzed such as solution concentration, collector to needle distance, flow rate, voltage, and duration. Ag/PAN nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In addition, filtration performances were determined by measuring the pressure drop and collection efficiency of sodium chloride (NaCl) aerosol particles (9 to 300 nm diameters) using Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers (SMPS). Filters with high filtration efficiency (≈100%) and high-quality factor (≈0.05 Pa−1) were obtained even adding different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) to PAN nanofibers. The resultant Ag/PAN nanofibers showed excellent antibacterial activity against 104 CFU/mL E. coli bacteria.

One‐step deposition of nano‐Ag‐TiO2 coatings by atmospheric pressure plasma jet for water treatment: Application to trace pharmaceutical removal using solar photocatalysis

AbstractIn this study, micrometer thick Ag‐TiO2 coatings were deposited in a single and facile step by spraying the precursor in an atmospheric pressure plasma jet with different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles. The homogenous distribution of Ag decreased the TiO 2 crystal size and increased the surface area. The coatings were characterized to be porous with an anatase phase with improved charge separation and visible light absorption. The photocatalytic activity of the materials was investigated for degrading rhodamine B using a white lamp as a screening method to optimize Ag‐TiO 2 coatings. Then the photodegradation of trace pharmaceutical compounds (TrPCs) was investigated by using a solar light simulator at the optimal condition of a TiO 2 coating with 0.4wt% Ag.

Optical and Structural Characteristics of NiO Thin Films Doped with AgNPs by Sputtering Method

NiO thin films doped with three different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) are deposited on glass slide substrates at 450 °C by sputtering method. The effect of AgNPs on the optical and structural characteristics of NiO thin film is studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectra. It is found that all the samples have a cubic structure. When Ag doping is made, the intensity of the diffraction peaks and the transmittance are decreased. On the other hand, the optical band gaps of NiO films doped with AgNPs are increased.

Effects of Ag Nanoparticles on Growth and Fat Body Proteins in Silkworms (Bombyx mori)

Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), a widely used non-antibiotic, antibacterial material, have shown toxic and other potentially harmful effects in mammals. However, the deleterious effects of AgNPs on insects are still unknown. Here, we studied the effects of AgNPs on the model invertebrate organism Bombyx mori. After feeding silkworm larvae different concentrations of AgNPs, we evaluated the changes of B. mori body weights, survival rates, and proteomic differences. The results showed that low concentrations (<400 mg/L) of AgNPs promoted the growth and cocoon weights of B. mori. Although high concentrations (≥800 mg/L) of AgNPs also improved B. mori growth, they resulted in silkworm death. An analysis of fat body proteomic differences revealed 13 significant differences in fat body protein spots, nine of which exhibited significantly downregulated expression, while four showed significantly upregulated expression. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction results showed that at an AgNP concentration of 1600 mg/L, the expression levels of seven proteins were similar to the transcription levels of their corresponding genes. Our results suggest that AgNPs lowered the resistance to oxidative stress, affected cell apoptosis, and induced cell necrosis by regulating related protein metabolism and metabolic pathways in B. mori.

The influence of Ag nanoparticles on random laser from dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

The threshold energy and electric field response characteristic of random laser have been investigated in dye-doped nematic liquid crystal (DDNLC) with the addition of different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) induced by Ag NPs, random laser from DDNLC with Ag NP doping had a lower threshold energy. From another point of view, nematic liquid crystals (LCs) in a DDNLC cell with the addition of Ag NPs could be more easily influenced by the electric field, which allowed the random laser to be controlled at a lower applied voltage. The turn-off time and turn-on time of random laser also decreased in the DDNLC cells with increasing the concentration of Ag NPs. This is due to the enhancement of the electro-optical characteristic of LC and the restoring force imparted by the locally ordered LCs induced by the Ag NPs, respectively.

Facile synthesis of heterostructured Ag-deposited SiO2@TiO2 composite spheres with enhanced catalytic activity towards the photodegradation of AB 1 dye

Ternary Ag–SiO2@TiO2 heterostructured composite spheres were synthesized and investigated as a catalyst for the photodegradation of Acid Black 1 (AB 1) in an aqueous solution. The SiO2 spheres (310nm) and SiO2@TiO2 composite spheres (320nm) were prepared without aggregation by the sol–gel method using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and Ti(iBuO)4 as precursors. Different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles were photodeposited on SiO2@TiO2 spheres with particle sizes of about 10nm. The Ag nanoparticles on the SiO2@TiO2 composite spheres (Ag–SiO2@TiO2) were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The photocatalytic activity of the Ag–SiO2@TiO2 photocatalyst towards AB 1 under UV irradiation was studied. The effects of the operational parameters such as the different Ag contents on the SiO2@TiO2 composite spheres, as well as the effect of the initial concentration of the dye solution on photomineralization were analyzed. The results showed the Ag–SiO2@TiO2 photocatalyst to be efficient and reusable.

Effect of Ag Nanoparticles Doped in Polymethyl Methacrylate Matrix for Luminescent Solar Concentrator

Metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in the presence of dye molecules has been studied for application in luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) devices. The LSC was prepared from bulk polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate (MMA), which was the matrix for the LSC devices. The polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheets doped by different dye concentrations were produced. The optical properties were characterized by absorption, emission and transmission spectroscopy measurements. Effects of dye concentrations on the photovoltaic performance of LSCs were investigated and discussed. Moreover, different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles were dispersed in the matrix in the presence of dye molecules in order to study the metal-enhanced fluorescence in material. The optimal concentration of Ag NPs resulting in a maximum fluorescence emission enhancement (almost 90 %) has been obtained which induced by the particular dye/Ag NPs composite materials. It depends on the coupling and spacing between neighboring dyes and Ag NPs. The result showed that the continuous transition from fluorescence enhancement to quenching, depending on Ag NPs concentration in the LSC device. The highest efficiency (1.96%) was achieved in solar cells which were assembled by the side of the PMMA sheets with dye concentration at 20 ppm.

Implementation of Ag nanoparticle incorporated WO3 thin film photoanode for hydrogen production

WO3 thin film photoanodes containing different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method. Based on UV-visible spectra, presence of a surface plasmon resonance peak at 470 nm of wavelength indicated formation of silver nanoparticles in the WO3 films. According to atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis, the highest value for surface roughness and the effective surface ratio was observed for the sample containing 2 mol% of Ag. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that WO3 nanocrystalline structure was formed in the monoclinic phase with the average size of about 18.2 nm while Ag nanocrystals were determined in cubic phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that Ag exists in a combination of metal/oxide states on the surface. Photoresponse investigation of the synthesized films indicated that the highest photocurrent was obtained for the sample containing 2 mol% Ag with the maximum incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) of about 20% at 360 nm wavelength. Moreover, measuring the amount of hydrogen produced during water splitting reactions verified that the highest hydrogen production rate (∼3 μmol/h) was obtained for the sample with 2 mol% Ag.

Optimal Ag concentration for H2 production via Ag:TiO2 nanocomposite thin film photoanode

TiO2 thin films containing different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles have been synthesized by sol-gel method. According to UV–visible spectra, presence of an intense surface plasmon resonance peak at 490 nm of wavelength indicated formation of silver nanoparticles in the TiO2 films. Based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis, the surface roughness and the effective surface ratio increased by increasing the Ag mol%. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed formation of Ag nanoparticles on the surface for the samples containing high Ag concentration. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that the size of Ag nanocrystals increased by increasing the Ag content in the films while the nanocrystalline size of TiO2 reduced in the presence of silver nanoparticles. Based on x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data, a stoichiometric chemical composition was detected for TiO2 while, Ag presented in a combination a metal/oxide states on the surface. Studying photoresponse of the samples showed that the highest photocurrent was obtained for the sample containing 1 mol% Ag. By measuring the photovoltage versus time, it was found that addition of silver nanoparticles to the TiO2 layer resulted in reduction of the transient time of the photogenerated carriers in the samples. Impedance spectroscopy determined a slight decrease in charge transfer resistance by addition of Ag to the films. Moreover, measuring the amount of hydrogen produced during water splitting reactions verified that the highest quantum yield of 9.6% was obtained for the sample with 1 mol% Ag.