Preparation of silver nanoparticles having low melting temperature through a new synthetic process without solvent

This study presents a new synthetic method of silver nanoparticles using a novel polyoxyethylene maleate-based surfactant (PEOM). Unlike conventional process using large amount of a solvent to dissolve silver salts, large amount of silver salts (AgNO3) can be dissolved and stabilized by our surfactant without solvent. Silver salts can be dissociated within PEOM by the formation of charge complex between hydrophilic-COOH segments and Ag+NO3-, resulting in formation of self-assembled microstructures which acting as a nano-reactor and stabilizer. After reduction using NaBH4, uniform sized silver nanoparticles were formed in the hydrophilic domain of PEOM. Silver contents in the colloids were changed by 0.5 approximately 3 wt%. Distribution of silver nanoparticle sizes was investigated by using TEM and XRD. Melting temperature of silver nanoparticles was measured by differential scanning calorimetry, which depends upon the particle size of silver nanoparticles. The lowest melting temperature of 112 degrees was measured from 3.5 nm average-sized silver particles.