Tailoring silver nanoparticle construction using dendrimer templated silica networks

Abstract

We have examined the role of the internal environment of dendrimer templated silica networks in tailoring the construction of silver nanoparticle assemblies. Silica networks from which 3,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol based dendrimer templates have been completely removed, slowly wet with an aqueous solution of silver acetate. The latter then reacts with internal silica silanol groups, leading to chemisorption of silver ions, followed by the growth of silver oxide nanoparticles. Silica network constructed using generation 4 dendrimer contains residual dendrimer template, and mixes with aqueous silver acetate solution easily. Upon chemisorption, silver ions get photolytically reduced to silver metal under a stabilizing dendrimer environment, leading to the formation of silver metal nanoparticles.

The fabrication of polycrystalline silver nanowires via self-assembled nanotubes at controlled temperature

“…Silver nanoparticles have attracted great interest because of their unique properties and applications in photonics, optical sensing, and biological labeling [16,17]. It is well known that the melting point of silver nanoparticles is lower than 150 • C [18,19], though for bulky silver metal, the melting point is 960 • C. Silver nanowire could be made through silver nanoparticles at low temperature. In general, however, during the heating of metal nanoparticles to their melting state, a larger metal ball may be formed due to the aggregation of melted nanoparticles and the surface tension of melted metals.…”

Controlling the Formation of Silver Nanoparticles on Silica by Photochemical Deposition and Other Means†

“…The study of silver‐based nanomaterials has been of intense interest due to a wide range of applications in areas such as chemical sensing (1–3), electronics (4,5), catalysis (6–8) and as antibacterial agents (9,10). In order to better utilize and understand the properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag‐NP), much work has been dedicated to controlling the structure of these nanoparticles, especially in terms of size and shape (1,3,11–16). As the collective knowledge and understanding of silver nanomaterials grows, future researchers will have more tools at their disposal for tailoring Ag‐NP to specific needs and applications.…”