Synthesis and Study of Silver Nanoparticles

A laboratory experiment introduces students to a unique property of a nanomaterial: the intense yellow color exhibited by silver nanoparticles compared to ionic or bulk silver. Students synthesize colloidal silver, estimate particle size using visible spectroscopy, and study aggregation and its prevention by addition of a polymer stabilizer. This experiment, intended as a laboratory activity for general chemistry, introduces students to nanotechnology while reinforcing topics such as redox chemistry, limiting and excess reactants, spectroscopy, and atomic size. The experiment requires dilute solutions and simple equipment such as the Spectronic-20 spectrophotometer and a magnetic stir plate. The reaction used…