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On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Skrabalak, SE; Wiley, BJ; Kim, M; Formo, EV; Xia, Y
Published in: Nano letters
July 2008

The polyol synthesis is a popular method of preparing metal nanostructures, yet the mechanism by which metal ions are reduced is poorly understood. Using a spectrophotometric method, we show, for the first time, that heating ethylene glycol (EG) in air results in its oxidation to glycolaldehyde (GA), a reductant capable of reducing most noble metal ions. The dependence of reducing power on temperature for EG can be explained by this temperature-dependent oxidation, and the factors influencing GA production can have a profound impact on the nucleation and growth kinetics. These new findings provide critical insight into how the polyol synthesis can be used to generate metal nanostructures with well-controlled shapes. For example, with the primary reductant identified, it becomes possible to evaluate and understand its explicit role in generating nanostructures of a specific shape to the exclusion of others.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Nano letters

DOI

EISSN

1530-6992

ISSN

1530-6984

Publication Date

July 2008

Volume

8

Issue

7

Start / End Page

2077 / 2081

Related Subject Headings

  • Spectrophotometry
  • Silver
  • Polymers
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Nanostructures
  • Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Acetaldehyde
 

Citation

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Skrabalak, S. E., Wiley, B. J., Kim, M., Formo, E. V., & Xia, Y. (2008). On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent. Nano Letters, 8(7), 2077–2081. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl800910d
Skrabalak, Sara E., Benjamin J. Wiley, Munho Kim, Eric V. Formo, and Younan Xia. “On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent.Nano Letters 8, no. 7 (July 2008): 2077–81. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl800910d.
Skrabalak SE, Wiley BJ, Kim M, Formo EV, Xia Y. On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent. Nano letters. 2008 Jul;8(7):2077–81.
Skrabalak, Sara E., et al. “On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent.Nano Letters, vol. 8, no. 7, July 2008, pp. 2077–81. Epmc, doi:10.1021/nl800910d.
Skrabalak SE, Wiley BJ, Kim M, Formo EV, Xia Y. On the polyol synthesis of silver nanostructures: glycolaldehyde as a reducing agent. Nano letters. 2008 Jul;8(7):2077–2081.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nano letters

DOI

EISSN

1530-6992

ISSN

1530-6984

Publication Date

July 2008

Volume

8

Issue

7

Start / End Page

2077 / 2081

Related Subject Headings

  • Spectrophotometry
  • Silver
  • Polymers
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Nanostructures
  • Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Acetaldehyde