Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles via submerged arc discharge based on a seed-mediated approach

Gold nanoparticles were prepared via liquid arc discharge technique using a seed-mediated approach in solution and characterized by dynamic light scattering, UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, optical imaging, and atomic force microscopy. A surface plasmon resonance was observed around 520 nm based on optical absorption spectroscopy of as-prepared samples at 15 A arc current in HAuCI4 solution. It was found that sodium citrate acts as a stabilizer and surface capping agent of the colloidal nanoparticles. It was found that the intensity of the plasmonic peak of as-prepared gold nanoparticles in 1 min arc duration gradually increases due to seed mediation up to 6 h. The formation time of gold nanoparticles in higher seed concentrations is less than the lower seed concentrations.