Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: An Undergraduate Laboratory Using a Green Approach

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 11 Issue 5 (2006) pp 331-333

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: An Undergraduate Laboratory Using a Green Approach

Amie Richardson, Amanda Janiec, Benny C. Chan*, R. David Crouch*

Department of Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA 17013-2896, crouch@dickinson.edu
Received February 9, 2006. Accepted July 21, 2006.

Published online: 1 October 2006

Abstract. The synthesis of nanoparticles provides students with an opportunity to investigate some of the unusual properties of the resulting colloidal mixture. Although a number of such preparations have been reported, we were intrigued by a recent report describing the use of a plant leaf extract to produce silver nanoparticles from an aqueous AgNO₃ solution. We describe a version of this method that is suitable for use in the high school or undergraduate laboratory, providing an inexpensive, easy-to-perform option for the synthesis of nanoparticles.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; synthesis

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: crouch@dickinson.edu)

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