The effect of silver salts and lignosulfonates in the synthesis of lignosulfonate-stabilized silver nanoparticles

Water-soluble lignin derivatives - technical lignosulfonates (IS) - were used as reducing and stabilizing agents for a simple synthesis of silver nanoparticles (LS-AgNPs) in aqueous solution at room temperature during the reaction with silver salt. Three salts were used as the metal precursor: AgClO4, AgBF4 and CH3C6H4SO3Ag. The obtained silver colloids were analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, particle size distribution (NIBS method), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Both the origin of the biomacromolecule and the type of silver salt contribute to the final size and shape of the LS-AgNPs. Therefore the selection of different reagents can be used to control the AgNPs size. As a possible application, the obtained silver particles were studied for their catalytic activity in the reduction of three dyes - C.I. Basic Blue 9 (methylene blue), C.I. Basic Violet 10 (rhodamine B) and C.I. Basic Orange 14 (acridine orange) - by sodium borohydride. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.