Facile synthesis and size dependent visible light photo catalytic properties of bio-compatible silver nanoclusters

Abstract Recently tremendous research efforts have been carried out to synthesize metal nanocluster owing to their wide applications in bio-imaging, nonlinear optical materials and catalysis. To explore such applications a precise control of size and composition of the metal nanoclusters are highly desirable. Here we report controlled synthesis and characterization of water soluble silver nanocluster ligated with glutathione. We have developed facile methodologies to prepare nanoclusters with distinct optical and catalytic properties. To achieve tunable size, optical property and chemical composition, here we mainly modulate the nature of metallic salt precursor, reducing agent and reaction conditions. Catalytic properties of as synthesized nanoclusters are explored in visible light induced photo-Fenton like processes for the degradation of model water pollutants such as methyl orange (MO) and Rhodamine B (RhB). The present research work investigates the influence of size of silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) on photo Fenton like processes under visible light.