Synthesis of Stable Citrate-Capped Silver Nanoprisms.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Citrate-stabilized silver nanoprisms (AgNPrs) are crucial for biosensing, leveraging localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).
• Existing synthesis protocols yield unstable AgNPrs, hindering their application in sensitive biosensor development.
• Surface functionalization via thiol chemistry is essential for AgNPrs in biosensing but requires stable nanoparticles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically optimize the synthesis of citrate-stabilized silver nanoprisms (AgNPrs) for improved stability and reproducibility.
• To identify critical reaction parameters influencing AgNPr stability and spectral properties.
• To develop a one-pot synthesis method for stable AgNPrs suitable for biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Systematic investigation of peroxide-based synthesis conditions for citrate-stabilized AgNPrs.
• Varied concentrations of l-ascorbic acid (secondary reducing agent) and silver nitrate.
• Optimized stabilizer concentration, silver nitrate addition rate, and seed dilution for nanoprism synthesis.

Main Results:

• Identified l-ascorbic acid concentration as a critical factor for AgNPr stability.
• Achieved highly stable AgNPrs with narrow absorbance peaks from 450 nm to the near-infrared (NIR) region.
• Developed a one-pot synthesis protocol, simplifying the production of stable, reproducible AgNPrs.

Conclusions:

• Optimized synthesis parameters provide precise control over citrate-stabilized AgNPr production.
• Enhanced stability and reproducible synthesis enable reliable AgNPrs for LSPR and SERS biosensing.
• The developed method facilitates easy surface functionalization for advanced biomedical applications.