Studying the effect of surfactant on particles of a silver complex and its corresponding oxide

Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between surfaces. They are usually organic compounds that are amphiphilic, able to control the size and morphology of nanoparticles. In this study, silver nitrate and oxalic acid are used to prepare an inorganic complex in the presence or absence of surfactant, CTAB. The main characterization methods were FTIR and SEM.

It can be observed from SEM images that the synthesized complexes have various particle sizes including nano sizes by adding the surfactant. The prepared complexes were calcinated to obtain the corresponding oxide, Ag₂O with different particle sizes and morphologies. The surfactant can effect on size and morphology of both silver complex and silver oxide.