Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of biocompatible silver sulfide nanoworms

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Nanoparticle Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, silver sulfide nanoworms were prepared via a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal method by reacting silver nitrate and thioacetamide in the aqueous solution of the Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) protein. The morphology, composition, and crystallinity of the nanoworms were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that the nanoworms were assembled by multiple adjacent Ag2S nanoparticles and stabilized by a layer of BSA attached to their surface. The nanoworms have the sizes of about 50 nm in diameter and hundreds of nanometers in length. The analyses of high-resolution TEM and their correlative Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) indicate that the adjacent Ag2S nanoparticles grow by misoriented attachment at the connective interfaces to form the nanoworm structure. In vitro assays on the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa show that the nanoworms exhibit good biocompatibility due to the presence of BSA coating. This combination of features makes the nanoworms attractive and promising building blocks for advanced materials and devices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banfield JF, Welch SA, Zhang H, Ebert TT, Penn RL (2000) Aggregation-based crystal growth and microstructure development in natural iron oxyhydroxide biomineralization products. Science 289:751–754

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baruwati B, Polshettiwar V, Varma RS (2009) Glutathione promoted expeditious green synthesis of silver nanoparticles in water using microwaves. Green Chem 11:926–930

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brelle MC, Zhang JZ, Nguyen L, Mehra RK (1999) Synthesis and ultrafast study of cysteine- and glutathione-capped Ag2S semiconductor colloidal nanoparticles. J Phys Chem A 103:10194–10201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C–C, Herhold AB, Johnson CS, Alivisatos AP (1997) Size dependence of structural metastability in semiconductor nanocrystals. Science 276:398–401

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi SH, An K, Kim EG, Yu JH, Kim JH, Hyeon T (2009) Simple and generalized synthesis of semiconducting metal sulfide nanocrystals. Adv Funct Mater 19:1645–1649

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Du YP, Xu B, Fu T, Cai M, Li F, Zhang Y, Wang QB (2010) Near-infrared photoluminescent Ag2S quantum dots from a single source precursor. J Am Chem Soc 132:1470–1471

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jang K, Kim SY, Park KH, Jang E, Jun S, Son SU (2007) Shape-controlled synthesis of silver sulfide nanocrystals by understanding the origin of mixed-shape evolution. Chem Commun 4474–4476

  • Liao ZM, Hou C, Zhao Q, Wang DS, Li YD, Yu DP (2009) Resistive switching and metallic-filament formation in Ag2S nanowire transistors. Small 5:2377–2381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim WP, Zhang Z, Low HY, Chin WS (2004) Preparation of Ag2S nanocrystals of predictable shape and size. Angew Chem Int Ed 43:5685–5689

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SH, Qian XF, Yin J, Hong L, Wang XL, Zhu ZK (2002) Synthesis and characterization of Ag2S nanocrystals in hyperbranched polyurethane at room temperature. J Solid State Chem 168:259–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZP, Liang JB, Xu D, Lu J, Qian YT (2004) A facile chemical route to semiconductor metal sulfide nanocrystal superlattices. Chem Commun 2724–2725

  • Liu SH, Lu F, Zhu JJ (2011a) Highly fluorescent Ag nanoclusters: microwave-assisted green synthesis and Cr3+ sensing. Chem Commun 47:2661–2663

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SH, Lu F, Jia X, Cheng F, Jiang L, Zhu JJ (2011b) Microwave-assisted synthesis of a biocompatible polyacid-conjugated Fe3O4 superparamagnetic hybrid. CrystEngComm 13:2425–2429

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu QY, Gao F, Zhao DY (2002) Creation of a unique self-supported pattern of radially aligned semiconductor Ag2S nanorods. Angew Chem Int Ed 41:1932–1934

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mamedova NN, Kotov NA, Rogach AL, Studer J (2001) Albumin–CdTe nanoparticle bioconjugates: preparation, structure, and interunit energy transfer with antenna effect. Nano Lett 1:281–286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mao CJ, Geng J, Wu XC, Zhu JJ (2010) Selective synthesis and luminescence properties of self-assembled SrMoO4 superstructures via a facile sonochemical route. J Phys Chem C 114:1982–1988

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niu X, Liu S, Xing R, Wang X, Zhang B, Chen J, Yang L (2007) Synthesis of single-crystalline silver sulfide nanowires by diffusion in porous anodic aluminium oxide template. Mater Lett 61:5098–5101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pal A, Shah S, Devi S (2009) Microwave-assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles using ethanol as a reducing agent. Mater Chem Phys 114:530–532

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan HC, Tao XC, Mao CJ, Zhu JJ, Liang FP (2007) Aminopolycarboxyl-modified Ag2S nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and resonance light scattering sensing for bovine serum albumin. Talanta 71:276–281

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pastoriza-Santos I, Liz-Marzán LM (2002) Formation of PVP-protected metal nanoparticles in DMF. Langmuir 18:2888–2894

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penn RL, Banfield JF (1998) Imperfect oriented attachment: dislocation generation in defect-free nanocrystals. Science 281:969–971

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qin DZ, Ma XM, Yang L, Zhang L, Ma ZJ, Zhang J (2008) Biomimetic synthesis of HgS nanoparticles in the bovine serum albumin solution. J Nanopart Res 10:559–566

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reches M, Gazit E (2003) Casting metal nanowires within discrete self-assembled peptide nanotubes. Science 300:625–627

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sadtler B, Demchenko DO, Zheng H et al (2009) Selective facet reactivity during cation exchange in cadmium sulfide nanorods. J Am Chem Soc 131:5285–5293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song Q, Ai X, Topuria T et al (2010) Microwave-assisted synthesis of monodispersed CdTe nanocrystals. Chem Commun 46:4971–4973

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teranishi T, Saruyama M, Kanehara M (2009) Seed-mediated synthesis of metal sulfide patchy nanoparticles. Nanoscale 1:225–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HL, Qi LM (2008) Controlled synthesis of Ag2S, Ag2Se, and Ag nanofibers using a general sacrificial template and their application in electronic device fabrication. Adv Funct Mater 18:1249–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DS, Xie T, Peng Q, Li YD (2008) Ag, Ag2S, and Ag2Se nanocrystals: synthesis, assembly, and construction of mesoporous structures. J Am Chem Soc 130:4016–4022

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DS, Zheng W, Hao CH, Peng Q, Li YD (2009) A synthetic method for transition-metal chalcogenide nanocrystals. Chem Eur J 15:1870–1875

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu CC, Shiau CY, Ayele DW, Su WN, Cheng MY, Chiu CY, Hwang BJ (2010) Rapid microwave-enhanced solvothermal process for synthesis of CuInSe2 particles and its morphologic manipulation. Chem Mater 22:4185–4190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xing RM, Wang XY, Yan LL, Zhang CL, Yang Z, Wang XH, Guo ZJ (2009a) Fabrication of water soluble and biocompatible CdSe nanoparticles in apoferritin with the aid of EDTA. Dalton Trans 1710–1713

  • Xing RM, Wang XY, Zhang CL, Zhang YM, Wang Q, Yang Z, Guo ZJ (2009b) Characterization and cellular uptake of platinum anticancer drugs encapsulated in apoferritin. J Inorg Biochem 103:1039–1044

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Z, Bando Y, Wang WL, Bai XD, Golberg D (2010) Real-time in situ HRTEM-resolved resistance switching of Ag2S nanoscale ionic conductor. ACS Nano 4:2515–2522

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Xing RM, Shen QM, Jiang K, Ye F, Wang JY, Ren QS (2006) Fabrication of protein-conjugated silver sulfide nanorods in the bovine serum albumin solution. J Phys Chem B 110:10534–10539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Yang HY, Yang ZX, Cao YX, Ma XM, Lu ZS, Zheng Z (2008) Observation of rotated-oriented attachment during the growth of Ag2S nanorods under mediation of protein. J Phys Chem B 112:9795–9801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Liu SH, Zhang BF, Xing RM, Wang HJ, Zhou JG (2010) The synthesis and crystallization mechanism of protein-conjugated silver sulfide nanowires with hierarchical structure. Mater Lett 64:1598–1600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang WX, Zhang L, Hui ZH, Zhang XM, Qian YT (2000) Synthesis of nanocrystalline Ag2S in aqueous solution. Solid State Ion 130:111–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu J, Palchik O, Chen S, Gedanken A (2000) Microwave assisted preparation of CdSe, PbSe, and Cu2-xSe nanoparticles. J Phys Chem B 104:7344–7347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu YJ, Wang WW, Qi RJ, Hu XL (2004) Microwave-assisted synthesis of single-crystalline tellurium nanorods and nanowires in ionic liquids. Angew Chem Int Ed 43:1410–1414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry of China (No. 2010-20), and the Educational Commission of Henan Province of China (2011A150005) for their financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular and Crystal Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475001, People’s Republic of China

    Ruimin Xing, Shanhu Liu & Shufang Tian

  2. State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Ruimin Xing

Authors
  1. Ruimin Xing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shanhu Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shufang Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shanhu Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xing, R., Liu, S. & Tian, S. Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of biocompatible silver sulfide nanoworms. J Nanopart Res 13, 4847–4854 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-011-0462-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-011-0462-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation