Silver Voyage from Macro- to Nanoworld
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| Title: | Silver Voyage from Macro- to Nanoworld |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Soukupova, Jana, Kvitek, Libor, Kratochvilova, Martina |
| Source: | Journal of Chemical Education. Oct 2010 87(10):1094-1097. |
| Availability: | Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Physical Description: | |
| Page Count: | 4 |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Adult Education High Schools Higher Education Postsecondary Education Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Technology, Technological Advancement, Metallurgy, Science Experiments, Chemistry, Spectroscopy, Laboratory Equipment, Light, College Science, Secondary School Science, Science Instruction, Adult Education |
| DOI: | 10.1021/ed1003405 |
| ISSN: | 0021-9584 |
| Abstract: | Nanoscience and nanotechnology currently represent one of the most rapidly developing fields of science and technology; therefore, the fundamental principles of nanoscience and nanotechnology should be understood by college and even high school students as well as by members of scientific communities. Silver, as the pioneer material in these fields, can be considered the appropriate guide on the voyage from the macro- to the nanoworld revealing the changes in fundamental properties of matter. We suggest a set of experiments that offer the preparation of silver mirror (macroscopic silver), submicroscopic "black" colloidal particles (less than 465 nm), and also nanoscopic "orange" particles (40 nm). Interestingly, all of these forms of silver can be prepared via the well-established Tollens reaction using just the variation in the initial concentrations of the reaction components. The macroscopic silver particles can be detected as a result of their typical metal shine. The colloidal and the nanoscopic silver particles, prepared in aqueous dispersions, can be simply detected with a laser pointer because of the Tyndall effect. However, more sophisticated methods like UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, or transmission electron microscopy can be employed for the appropriate characterization of all of the prepared silver particles. (Contains 4 figures.) |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 22 |
| Entry Date: | 2011 |
| Accession Number: | EJ920338 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Nanoscience and nanotechnology currently represent one of the most rapidly developing fields of science and technology; therefore, the fundamental principles of nanoscience and nanotechnology should be understood by college and even high school students as well as by members of scientific communities. Silver, as the pioneer material in these fields, can be considered the appropriate guide on the voyage from the macro- to the nanoworld revealing the changes in fundamental properties of matter. We suggest a set of experiments that offer the preparation of silver mirror (macroscopic silver), submicroscopic "black" colloidal particles (less than 465 nm), and also nanoscopic "orange" particles (40 nm). Interestingly, all of these forms of silver can be prepared via the well-established Tollens reaction using just the variation in the initial concentrations of the reaction components. The macroscopic silver particles can be detected as a result of their typical metal shine. The colloidal and the nanoscopic silver particles, prepared in aqueous dispersions, can be simply detected with a laser pointer because of the Tyndall effect. However, more sophisticated methods like UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, or transmission electron microscopy can be employed for the appropriate characterization of all of the prepared silver particles. (Contains 4 figures.) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0021-9584 |
| DOI: | 10.1021/ed1003405 |
