Nipping the Shape of the Nanosilver through Bio-Based Capping Strategy and Studies on Their Electrocatalytic Performance Using Electrospectrometry

The present work involves tuning of the shape of silver nanoparticles from single crystals to nano wires, spheres, and cubes through a bio based-surfactant capping method. The mechanism for the formation of different shapes through preferential adsorption of the surfactant was elucidated using various techniques including XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-visible spectra, and AFM. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic performance of the Ag NPs with different shapes toward the reduction of 4-nitro phenol was studied using electrospectrometric technique. Silver nanowires exhibited superior catalytic efficiency toward the reduction reaction when compared with other shapes. The developed strategy can be employed for tuning the shape of novel nanocatalysts and the employed analytical tool can be utilized for studying the electrocatalytic performance of the developed catalyst toward other technologically relevant organic reactions.

Automated summary

This study successfully tuned the shape of silver nanoparticles through a bio-based surfactant capping method and elucidated the mechanism for the formation of different shapes. It was found that silver nanowires exhibited superior catalytic efficiency, which can be utilized for studying other organic reactions.