Synthesis and characterization of nano spheres decorated silver bromide nanorods using a two step chemical reduction route

We report the preparation of nanospheres protected silver bromide nanorods by direct chemical reduction method with silver nitrate as the metal precursor and sodium borohydride as reducing agent with CTAB doing twin role both as stabilizing agent as well as the source for bromide ion. The peaks in the XRD pattern are in good agreement with the standard values of the face-centered-cubic form of metallic silver bromide and no peaks of other impurity phases were detected. The energy-dispersive spectrum of the nanocolloidal dispersion confirmed the presence of elemental silver and bromide in the synthesized product. The morphology of silver bromide nanoparticles were determined by scanning electron microscopy. TEM observations exhibit astonishing revelation that the colloidal dispersion consist of AgBr nanorods embedded in spherical particles with a particle size distribution in 10–20 nm range.