Mass Spectrometric Detection of Charged Silver Nanoclusters with Hydrogen Inclusions Formed by the Reduction of AgNO3 in Ethylene Glycol

Abstract

In the problem of the production silver nanoparticles, mass spectrometry allows one to identify nanoclusters as nuclei or intermediates in the synthesis of nanoparticles and to understand the mechanisms of their formation. Using low-temperature secondary emission mass spectrometry, we determined the cluster composition of a system formed in the microwave treatment of a solution of AgNO₃ in ethylene glycol (M). Along with silver ion–ethylene glycol associates М_m ⋅ Ag⁺ (m = 1–5) and small silver clusters AgM_n⁺ (n = 1–9), unusual silver clusters with one hydrogen atom [Ag_nH]⁺ (n = 2, 4) were observed. Possible pathways for the formation of silver nanoparticles taking into account hydrogen-containing cluster intermediates are discussed.