Synthesis of Ag-Co3O4 and Ag-NiO nanocomposites by two different chemical methods

Silver-cobalt oxide and silver-nickel oxide nanocomposites were synthesized by two different chemical methods. The first one is a single step thermal decomposition method using silver acetate and a metal acetylacetonate in diphenyl ether. The second method involves ethylene glycol reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of a transition metal hydroxide followed by calcination. The nanocomposites, prepared by both the methods, were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, field emission-scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The characterization results indicate the presence of silver nanoparticles in both the nanocomposites. Studies on the magnetic properties of the nanocomposites indicate the presence of antiferromagnetic metal oxide nanoparticles in the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were also explored as catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol using NaBH4.