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Synthesis, characterization, and application of Au–Ag alloy nanoparticles for the sensing of an environmental toxin, pyrene

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Abstract

Bimetallic alloy nanoparticles (NPs) of two coinage metals, Au and Ag, were successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method. These NPs were prepared by a chemical method involving the reduction of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 in an aqueous solution of 2 % hydrazine as a reducing agent, iso-octane as a co-precipitator, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as a capping agent, and deionized water as a solvent. The newly synthesized bimetallic alloy NPs were characterized by electronic absorption spectroscopy. The NPs were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. TEM evidenced the formation of NPs with a diameter ranging from 25 to 35 nm. For the development of electrochemical sensor, glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with potentiodynamic polymerization of pyrrole, called polypyrrole (PPy). PPy was over-oxidized in order to increase its sensitivity toward polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The electrode was further modified with Au–Ag bimetallic alloy NPs. The fabricated GCE was successfully applied to detect an environmental toxin, pyrene. The electrochemical behavior of pyrene at the composite electrode (PPyox/Au–Ag NPs/GCE) was optimized by changing the atomic ratio of Au and Ag in Au–Ag bimetallic alloy NPs. At the Au and Ag ratio of 1:3, pyrene was detected with a detection limit of 0.1 µM.

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Acknowledgments

This work was jointly supported by Chemistry Department of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and National Center of Excellence in Physical Chemistry University of Peshawar. The financial support of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada is also acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Latif-ur-Rahman, Afzal Shah & Rumana Qureshi

  2. Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, M1C 1A4, Canada

    Afzal Shah & Heinz-Bernhard Kraatz

  3. Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research (CEAMR) and Chemistry Department Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. Box 80203, Jidda, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Sher Bahadar Khan & Abdullah M. Asiri

  4. UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al-Mauz, Nizwa, 616, Oman

    Hidayat Hussain

  5. Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221-0012, USA

    Changseok Han

  6. Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan

    Muhammad Naeem Ashiq

  7. University of Education, Attock Campus, Attock, Pakistan

    Muhammad Abid Zia

  8. Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Muhammad Ishaq

Authors
  1. Latif-ur-Rahman
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  2. Afzal Shah
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  3. Sher Bahadar Khan
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  4. Abdullah M. Asiri
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  5. Hidayat Hussain
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  6. Changseok Han
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  7. Rumana Qureshi
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  8. Muhammad Naeem Ashiq
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  9. Muhammad Abid Zia
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  10. Muhammad Ishaq
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  11. Heinz-Bernhard Kraatz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Afzal Shah.

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Latif-ur-Rahman, Shah, A., Khan, S.B. et al. Synthesis, characterization, and application of Au–Ag alloy nanoparticles for the sensing of an environmental toxin, pyrene. J Appl Electrochem 45, 463–472 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-015-0807-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-015-0807-2

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