Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles in Alkalic Carboxymethyl Chitosan Solution

Silver nanoparticles were prepared by microwave irradiation of silver nitrate solution with carboxymethyl chitosan as reducing agent and a stabilizer. The optical properties, morphology and structure were characterized using UV–Visible spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Appearance of surface plasmon band at 413 nm indicated the formation of silver nanoparticles within 5 s microwave irradiation. TEM images show most silver nanoparticles are between 2 nm and 20 nm. XRD results identified the nanoparticles as face-centered cubic phase.