The influence of the capping agent on the oxidation of silver nanoparticles: nano-impacts versus stripping voltammetry.

The influence of capping agents on the oxidation of silver nanoparticles was studied by using the electrochemical techniques of anodic stripping voltammetry and anodic particle coulometry ("nano-impacts"). Five spherical silver nanoparticles each with a different capping agent (branched polyethylenimine (BPEI), citrate, lipoic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)) were used to perform comparative experiments. In all cases, regardless of the capping agent, complete oxidation of the single nanoparticles was seen in anodic particle coulometry. The successful quantitative detection of the silver nanoparticle size displays the potential application of anodic particle coulometry for nanoparticle characterisation. In contrast, for anodic stripping voltammetry using nanoparticles drop casting, it was observed that the capping agent has a very significant effect on the extent of silver oxidation. All five samples gave a low oxidative charge corresponding to partial oxidation. It is concluded that the use of anodic stripping voltammetry to quantify nanoparticles is unreliable, and this is attributed to nanoparticle aggregation.