RGB LED-induced fast photochemical synthesis and photothermal effect of silver nanoprisms

Abstract

A critical challenge in nanomaterials science is the development of high-throughput, reproducible, and economically viable syntheses capable of yielding nanoparticles with well-defined characteristics. Addressing the poor reproducibility of conventional methods is essential for transitioning nanomaterials from the laboratory to widespread application. Photochemical techniques provide a versatile platform for synthesizing functional plasmonic nanomaterials. The utility of silver nanoprisms (SNP) stems from their plasmonic response, which provides both a dielectric-environment-sensitive local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for sensing and efficient light-to-heat conversion for photothermal applications. Here, we present a time-efficient, RGB-LED-assisted photochemical synthesis that enables a one-pot procedure for three types of SNP, with wavelength-selective control over particle size and LSPR. We developed a compact RGB-LED photoreactor and a reproducible protocol that enables the comfortable synthesis of three distinct types of SNP with different LSPR maxima (481 ± 2.04 nm, 617 ± 4.84 nm, and 712 ± 7.37 nm) within 40–240 min. The photothermal response of the resulting SNP was investigated under irradiation from the synthesis LEDs. Our integrated strategy provides a straightforward and adaptable platform for generating plasmonic nanostructures of choice.