Synthesis and Catalytic Study of NiAg Bimetallic Core-Shell Nanoparticles

This publication presents the synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles, where the core was Ni, and the shell was a Ag-Ni nano alloy. The synthesis was based on the reduction of Ni and Ag ions with sodium borohydride in the presence of trisodium citrate as a stabilizer. In order to determine the phase composition of the obtained nanoparticles, an XRD study was performed, and in order to identify the oxidation states of the nanoparticle components, an XPS spectroscopic study was performed. The composition and shape of the particles were determined using the HR-TEM EDS test. The obtained nanoparticles had a size of 11 nm. The research on catalytic properties was carried out in the model methylene blue reduction system. The investigation of the catalytic activity of colloids was carried out with the use of UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The Ag-Ni alloy was about ten times more active than were pure silver nanoparticles of a similar size.

Automated summary

This study synthesized core-shell nanoparticles with a Ni core and a Ag-Ni nano alloy shell by reducing Ni and Ag ions with sodium borohydride in the presence of trisodium citrate as a stabilizer. XRD and XPS spectroscopic studies were conducted to determine the phase composition and oxidation states of the nanoparticles, respectively. The composition and shape of the particles were determined using HR-TEM EDS testing. The obtained nanoparticles had a size of 11 nm. Catalytic activity research was carried out using a methylene blue reduction system, and the catalytic activity of the colloids was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The Ag-Ni alloy exhibited approximately ten times higher catalytic activity than pure silver nanoparticles of a similar size.