A simple and large-scale strategy for the preparation of Ag nanoparticles supported on resin-derived carbon and their antibacterial properties.

A simple strategy was developed for preparing stable Ag nanoparticles supported on carbon by carbonizing Ag(+)/acrylic acid type ion-exchange resin complexes under N(2) atmosphere. The products were characterized by x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The results indicated that the Ag nanoparticles were well dispersed on the surface of carbon, and their size could be regulated by tuning the carbonization temperature. The antibacterial assay showed that the Ag/C composites possess good antibacterial properties that are determined largely by the Ag particle size. Furthermore, the composites are very stable and they do not show obviously change even after storing at ambient conditions for more than one year.