Synthesis of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles in presence of starch, PVP and PVA as polymeric stabilizers: Structural and LSPR studies

Abstract

We report the aqueous phase chemical reduction synthesis of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles in presence of three different polymer stabilizers starch, PVP (Poly vinyl pyrrolidone) and PVA (Poly vinyl alcohol). We study the effect of varying proportions of Ag and Cu salts precursor on the extent of solid solubility using this route of synthesis. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorbances of sols are analyzed from the perspective of nanoparticles composition and their structural features. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of the Ag-Cu nanoparticles sols has been done extensively and shows the formation of mass fractal aggregate nanostructures in all cases. It has been observed that the starch stabilized Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles shows the presence of LSPR maxima corresponding to the Agrich and Cu-rich phases, whereas PVP and PVA stabilized Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles show LSPR maxima corresponding to Ag-rich phases only. The extent of solid solubility is different for each polymeric stabilizer. X-ray diffraction study (XRD) analysis shows the presence of multiple phases of Ag-Cu nanoparticles owing to the different levels of solid solubility. The solid solubility of Cu in Ag has been found to be ~10at% in starch, ~18at% in PVP and ~8at% in PVA and solid solubility of Ag in Cu 1.5at% in starch, 2at% in PVP and PVA. © 2016 by Apple Academic Press, Inc. All rights reserved.