Comparative Study of the Morphology, Aggregation, Adherence to Glass, and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Prepared by Chemical Reduction of Ag+ Using Citrate and Hydroxylamine

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 21; no. 18; pp. 8546 - 8553
• Main Authors: Cañamares, M. V, Garcia-Ramos, J. V, Gómez-Varga, J. D, Domingo, C, Sanchez-Cortes, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 30.08.2005
• Subjects: Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Scanning electron microscopy; Hydroxylamine; Nanoparticle; Glass; Citrate; Transition metal; Nanostructure; Adhesion; Physical properties; Colloid; Aggregation; Surface enhanced scattering; Chemical reduction; Silver; Plasmon; Morphology; Surface properties; Resonance; Raman spectrometry; Chemical properties; Aggregate; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la050030l

Two different silver colloids were prepared by chemical reduction of silver nitrate with trisodium citrate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride to compare their characteristics in relation to their possible use in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The morphology and plasmon resonance of the single nanoparticles and aggregates integrating these colloids were characterized by means of UV−vis absortion spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, revealing important differences between each type of nanoparticle as concerns their physical properties. These metallic systems also manifested differences in the aggregation and the adherence to glass surfaces, revealing significant differences in the chemical surface properties of these nanoparticles. SERS and surface-enhanced IR also indicated the presence of interference bands which can overlap the spectra of the analyte, mainly in the case of the citrate colloid. All these differences have an important influence on the applicability of these nanostructured systems in SERS. In fact, the enhancement factor and spectral pattern of the SERS obtained by using alizarin as a molecule probe are different.