Size-controlled and Green Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Using Molybdophosphoric Acid

Abstract

Green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles as two metal nanoparticles, was studied based on photoreduction of metal ions using molybdophosphoric acid (H3[PMo12O], HPMo) under UV-irradiation. HPMo was found to be photocatalyst, reducing agent and efficient stabilizer for the resulting nanoparticles. This method allows the size-controlled synthesis of uniform nanoparticles with an average size that is tunable by varying the initial used HPMo amount. We have found that there is a critical value for HPMo amount, in which two opposing trends in the size of metal nanoparticles would happen. This value is depends on the type of metal and reaction conditions and for Au NPs it is higher than that of Ag NPs.