(398d) Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow Nanoparticles Using Sacrificial Core Method In Aqueous Surfactant Media

Hollow nanoparticles are of great interest to the nanotechnologists recently among the different types of nanoparticles. These particles are always superior than the normal nanoparticles of same material in a wide range of applications such as drug or gene delivery, bioencapsulation, controlled release, medical diagnostics, lithium-ion batteries, and catalysis etc. due to high surface to volume ratio, low density, low refractive index and coefficient of thermal expansion. Recently there is an immense interest among the researchers to find the more friendly routes for the synthesis of hollow nanoparticles, to ease the production of hollow particles for different applications. The existing routes for hollow particles synthesis are mostly focused on either single step method or sacrificial core method. Single step method is too specific to get a wide range of materials. In contrast, core/shell method using a sacrificial core can be used for a wide variety of hollow particles. In general, an easy technique of core removal is always preferable; therefore selection of core is very important.

This work reports an easy and novel route for the synthesis of hollow Ag₂S particles by sacrificial core method in surfactant assisted aqueous media. The particles were characterized by using a series of instrumental techniques such as XRD, SEM, FESEM, TEM, Fluorescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescence property show the hollow particles are having improved light emission capacity in terms of quantum yield compare to solid Ag₂S particles. This technique is also used to prepare other hollow nanoparticles in our laboratory.