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The Chemical Educator
ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 17
(2012) pp 187-189
DOI 10.1007/s00897122442
Comparative Dispersibility of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Ag Nanoparticles in Aqueous Media
Aleksey Vasiliev
Department of Chemistry, East Tennessee State University,
Johnson City, TN 37614,
vasiliev@etsu.edu
Received May 30, 2012. Accepted August 10, 2012.
Published: 14 September 2012
Abstract. This demonstration was designed to visualize modification of nanoparticle surfaces through changing of optical properties and stability of their dispersions. Bare silver nanoparticles demonstrate high tendency to agglomeration in water. In order to convert their surfaces to hydrophobic and reduce their surface energy, the nanoparticles were modified by thiolation with 1-octadecanethiol. Due to formed protective self-assembled monolayer of alkyl groups, capped nanoparticles acquired high dispersibility in aqueous media.
Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; physical chemistry; upper-division undergraduate; graduate education; demonstrations; hands-on learning; colloids; surface science
(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: vasiliev@etsu.edu)
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