(616e) Green Synthesis of Ag & Pd Nanostructures

The green chemistry synthesis of nanoparticles has recently gained much more attention due to the possibility to utilize alternative, energy efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly way for nanomaterial synthesis that would be more environmentally viable and eco-friendly. The transition from micro scale to nano scale particles leads to essential changes in physical and chemical properties. Silver (Ag) and Palladium (Pd) metal have a range of characteristics that can be improved, adjusted, or developed by control of particle morphology on the nanometer scale.

The purpose of this work are green synthesis of Ag and Pd nanostructures using sugar and different artificially sweeteners as reducing agent, and investigation of the reaction mechanism behind their green synthesis. Aqueous solution of AgNO₃ and Na₂PdCl₄ have been used as Ag and Pd precursor, respectively in the presence of white sugar, brown sugar, and several artificially sweeteners such as Splenda, Sweet’n Low, Equal Original, Stevia Blend, Caribou Coffee, and Whole Earth as reducing agent to synthesis Ag and Pd nanostructures at low temperature. UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) have been utilized to prove the formation of Ag and Pd nanoparticles. In order to investigate the reaction mechanism, UV-Vis characterization has been done on the aliquot at different intervals during the reactions. Moreover, Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) characterizations have been done on reducing agents before and after reaction to understand which functional groups are responsible for the reduction of Ag and Pd ions. The main pure ingredients of the sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners such as Saccharin, Sucralose, Aspartame, and Steviol also have been used as reducing agents to understand the exact function of each ingredient as reducing agent. Finally, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) has been used as stabilizer, capping agent, and protecting agent to facilitate the growth of the initially formed Ag and Pd seeds to one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures.