Effect of surface chemistry on the morphology, resistance, and colloidal behavior of small silver particles

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Abstract
Raman spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and elemental analysis were used to characterize small silver particles prepared by evaporation of silver from a molybdenum or tungsten boat into a reduced-pressure atmosphere of argon and oxygen. Particles prepared with both molybdenum and oxygen present were 50–400-Å-diam spheres, but much larger aspherical particles resulted if either molybdenum or oxygen was absent. The spherical particles were coated with approximately one monolayer of polymeric molybdenum oxide formed during fabrication from volatile MoO3. The polymolybdate-coated particles form a stable suspension in water and have high electrical resistance, while those prepared in the absence of molybdenum have low resistance and do not suspend in water. No evidence of silver oxide formation was obtained, even for particles prepared by silver evaporation in oxygen in the absence of molybdenum, We conclude that the polymolybdate coating prevents the formation of very large (>1000 Å) particles during fabrication. Furthermore, the coating becomes negatively charged in polar solvents, leading to formation of a stable colloidal suspension. Thus the molybdenum boat is essential for the fabrication of small spherical particles, and has a large effect on the properties of the final material. While silver oxide formation cannot be rigorously ruled out, it is clear that molybdenum, not silver, oxides determine the morphology and resistance of the particles.