The AgcorePdshell bimetallic nanoparticles: simple biological synthesis and characterization

In this work and for the first time, bimetallic Ag-Pd nanoparticles equipped with a core-shell structure were prepared biologically by employing a galvanic displacement reaction in which the added PdCl2 reacts with an Ag nanotemplate containing an adsorbed soaproot (Acanthe phylum bracteatum) extract. Four samples with different Ag/Pd molar ratios of 100:2, 100:5, 100:10 and 100:15 were prepared to synthesize the bimetallic nanoparticles with a core-shell structure. The bimetallic Ag-Pd nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The results from UV-Vis revealed an optimal molar ratio of 100:15 for Ag/Pd, which is appropriate to prepare bimetallic Ag-Pd nanoparticles with the core-shell structure. The results of FTIR and XRD confirmed the pure bimetallic Ag-Pd nanoparticles formation. The images prepared by TEM depicted spherical and uniformly shaped nanoparticles without any agglomeration and a particle size of 15 nm.