Influence of Oxygen on the Optical Properties of Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles in sol–gel silica films were obtained by annealing in hydrogen atmosphere and subsequently in oxygen atmosphere. Their properties were measured by UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis. Samples prepared in a reducing atmosphere exhibited a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) located at 399 nm. Silver nanoparticles in an oxidizing atmosphere exhibited a red shift and damping of the SPR. These optical properties were explained due to the oxidation on the surface of silver nanoparticles to silver oxide yield in an oxygen atmosphere. Silver core–silver oxide shell nanostructures were observed by HRTEM. The average size of the metallic nanoparticles obtained by TEM was used for modeling the UV-vis spectra by using the Gans theory. Good fits to the spectra under an oxidizing atmosphere were obtained considering variable refractive indexes coming from the silver oxide shells surrounding to the nanoparticles. Therefore, the interaction between oxygen and the metallic surface of the nanoparticles, sensitively alters their optical properties.