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 AgNO ₃ 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.