title: Photochemical preparation of silver nanoparticles supported on zeolite crystals.
abstract: A facile and rapid photochemical method for preparing supported silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in a suspension of faujasite type (FAU) zeolite nanocrystals is described. Silver cations are introduced by ion exchange into the zeolite and subsequently irradiated with a Xe-Hg lamp (200 W) in the presence of a photoactive reducing agent (2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone). UV-vis characterization indicates that irradiation time and intensity (I0) influence significantly the amount of silver cations reduced. The full reduction of silver cations takes place after 60 s of a polychromatic irradiation, and a plasmon band of Ag-NPs appears at 380 nm. Transmission electron microscopy combined with theoretical calculation of the plasmon absorbance band using Mie theory shows that the Ag-NPs, stabilized in the micropores and on the external surface of the FAU zeolite nanocrystals, have an almost spheroidal shape with diameters of 0.75 and 1.12 nm, respectively. Ag-NPs, with a homogeneous distribution of size and morphology, embedded in a suspension of FAU zeolites are very stable (∼8 months), even without stabilizers or capping agents.
authors.affiliation: LCS, ‡CRISMAT, and §CIMAP, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, CNRS , 6 bd du Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen, France.
authors.forename: Moussa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaarour
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Roz
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Retoux
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aad
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cardin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gourbilleau
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gilson
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mintova