Formation of silver nanoparticles induced by ultrasonically treated sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate

A simple and novel method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated, using only ultrasonically treated aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (UT-SDBS) as both reducing and stabilizing agents at 100°C. The obtained AgNPs were characterised by their size and morphology. The results have shown that well-dispersed AgNPs were produced with a narrow size distribution of about 3-9 and 2-13 nm using AgAc and AgNO₃ as precursors, respectively. The intermediates generated in the UT-SDBS solution served as the reducing radicals. The reduction ability of intermediates was determined by the ultrasonic time of SDBS. Most of the intermediates were produced in the first 1 h of ultrasonic irradiation, the reduction ability of UT-SDBS-1h was sufficient at this stage. However, by increasing the ultrasonic time to 8 h resulted in further decomposition of intermediates and in the decrease of its reduction ability.