Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles in natural rubber

Silver nanoparticles are formed in natural rubber matrix via photo reduction of film cast from natural rubber latex (NRL) containing silver salt. The resulting NR–Ag nanocomposite is characterized using TEM, XRD and UV spectroscopic techniques. The nanoparticles, diameter ranging between 4 and 10 nm, are dispersed within distinct interfaces which correspond to the inter-particle boundaries of the NRL particles that form the matrix. The average width of the interfaces is 8 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the nanoparticles as metallic silver of the face-centered cubic type. UV–vis absorption spectra show peaks characteristic of the surface plasmon resonance of nano-sized silver. A comparison with the results of formation of silver, obtained under similar reduction condition, in a series of matrices namely de-proteinized natural rubber latex (DNRL), NRL containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), aqueous solutions of bovain serum albumin and SDS, suggests that the protein in natural rubber is responsible for the formation of stable silver nanoparticles in the natural rubber (NR) matrix.