Metallic nanoparticles are known to be efficient and highly active catalysts but they can often coalesce or precipitate if not protected.[1]To circumvent such a situation multistep surface modifications have been carried out in presence of coordinating polymers, ligands, or surfactants. However, such stabilizing agents strongly passivate the nanoparticle surface, causing a negative impact upon their catalytic activity.In this work, we present a synthetic scheme which can provide reduction, stabilization, and protection in one step. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is one of the most extensively studied polymers due to its iconic nature as well as its highly effective reducing and stabilizing capabilities. Therefore, we investigated a silylated PEI, trimethoxysilylpropyl(polyethylenimine) (TMSP-PEI),which was found to reduce, stabilize, and protect gold and silver nanoparticles in both aqueous and organic solvents without need of additional reducing agents. Upon further experimental analysis, it was discovered that adjustments to metal-ligand ratio produced different nanoparticle shapes. It has been shown that nanoparticles shapes can influence their catalytic activity thereby providing customizable applications.[2] Therefore, the synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed by TEM, SEM, IR, and a comparative analysis of their catalytic activity was assessed. [1] Bhanu P.S. Chauhan, Alok Sarkar, Moni Chauhan, �Silicon Stabilized Nanoparticles as Hybrid Phase Catalysts for Selective Hydrolytic Oxidatio0n of Hydrosilanes�; Chapter 17, 2013, 375-400 in �New and Future Developments in Catalysis. Catalysis by Nanoparticle� Editor: Steven Suib, Elsevier.[2]Simon Mostafa, Farzad Behafarid, Jason R. Croy, Luis K. Ono, Long Li, Judith C. Yang, Anatoly I. Frenkel, and Beatriz Roldan Cuenya. Shape-Dependent Catalytic Properties of Pt Nanoparticles. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2010 132(44), 15714-15719.

Triemethoxysilylpropyl(polyethylenimine) mediated one-pot synthesis of silica-coated metallic nanoparticles

248th National Meeting (2014)

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