Green, microwave-assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles using bamboo hemicelluloses and glucose in an aqueous medium

A green, straightforward, microwave-assisted method of synthesizing silver nanoparticles in an aqueous medium was developed using bamboo hemicelluloses as stabilizer and glucose as reducer. The effects of irradiation time as well as initial concentrations of hemicelluloses, glucose, and AgNO3 on the silver nanoparticle formation were studied. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated the formation of spherical, nanometer-sized particles. The reaction parameters significantly affected the formation rate, size and distribution of the silver nanoparticles. The average particle size was 8.3–14.8 nm based on TEM analysis. XRD analysis revealed that the particles calcined at 300 °C were face-centered cubic. XPS characterization showed that silver Ag(0) coexisted with silver Ag(I). The synthesis process of silver nanoparticles was rapid and eco-friendly.