Sonochemical synthesis of colloidal silver catalysts for reduction of complexing silver in DTR system Original Research Article

Colloidal silver nanoparticles used as reduction catalyst in silver diffusion transfer reversal (DTR) system were prepared from two kinds of silver salts (AgNO3 and Ag(S2O3)23−) by sonochemical method. PDCE and DPS were chosen as stabilizers. Effects of the different silver sources and stabilizers on nanoparticle feature and catalytic activity were investigated using UV-Vis spectroscopy, AFM, SEM, DLS and CCDs. Results showed that the precursor AgNO3 was better than Ag(S2O3)23− while the stabilizing activity of PDCE was better than that of DPS. Silver colloids stabilized by PDCE had better dispersion, narrower size distribution and higher catalytic activity with the mean radius of Ag/PDCE (AgNO3) nanoparticles being 2.0 nm and Ag/PDCE (Ag(S2O3)23−) being 8.5 nm.