The objective of this project was to synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles. Using DC Magnetron Sputtering, the team managed to achieve the goal. The nanoparticles that were synthesized were in the size range that had not been achieved in our university and can now be used for various antibacterial applications such as dental implants and body piercings.

1. Synthesis and Characterization of
Silver Nanoparticles by DC
Magnetron Sputtering
Final Year Project by: Project Advisor:
Abu Huraira 2017028 Dr. Imran Khan
Alishba Ali 2017067 Project Co-Advisor:
Shahzaib Ali Adil 2017428 Dr. Rashid Ali

2. Contents
Objectives Problem Analysis
and Designed Solution
Applications and
Characterization

3. Objectives
• Production of silver nanoparticles through a novel
technique involving DC magnetron sputtering.
• Reducing the demerits of already existing methods.
• Characterizing these nanoparticles for biomedical
applications.

4. Problem Analysis
Existing Methods
• Chemical method: Reducing Ag(NO3) with ethylene glycol.
• Physical method: Thermal-decomposition.
• Photochemical synthesis: Photoreduction of precursor or Ag ions using photochemically
activated intermediates.
• Biological synthesis: Using plants (algae, yeast, fungi, and bacteria) as reducing and
stabilizing agents.
Common demerits: Stability, Particle Sizes, Size Distribution, Scalability [1]
Particle size and distribution are the key factors determining the properties of silver
hence they can not be compromised. Going from let’s say 50nm to 5nm greatly affects the
properties of silver.
[1] Hindawi Publishing Corporation Advances in Materials Science and Engineering Volume 2015, Article ID 165257, 16 pages

5. DC Magnetron
Sputtering
As we know magnetron sputtering is
capable of achieving nanoparticles on a
substrate with good stability and particle
size distribution of around 5nm. We will
use that property for our synthesis in two
ways:
• Sputtering of silver into a reaction
mixture such as glycerol. [2]
• Sputtering of silver on a substrate and
then removing the substrate such as
glass and removing it by HF.
[2] Hindawi Publishing Corporation Advances in Materials Science and Engineering Volume 2015, Article ID 165257, 16 pages

6. Applications
• Biomedical Properties of silver: Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory
all leading to major medical applications.
• Optical Properties: Extraordinarily efficient at absorbing and scattering light.
Keeping these properties in mind the application we will pursue is Surface Enhanced
Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).
Application of Ag NPs in medicine can be divided into two types namely diagnostic and
therapeutic uses. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) based on Ag NPs can be
used in cancer detection in a non-invasive way [3]. This process of cancer detection will be
inevitable part of cancer detection in near future.
[3] J. Lin, R. Chen, S. Feng, J. Pan, Y. Li, G. Chen, et al, “A novel blood plasma analysis technique combining membrane electrophoresis
with silver nanoparticle-based SERS spec-troscopy for potential applications in noninvasive cancer detection”,
Nanomedicine:Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 655-663, 2011.

7. Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering
• Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic technique typically used to
determine vibrational modes of molecules.
• Raman signals are inherently weak, but they can be enhanced by silver
nanoparticles.
• SERS uses nanoscale roughened metal surfaces made of silver (Ag).
Laser excitation of these roughened metal nanostructures resonantly
drives the surface charges creating a highly localized (plasmonic) light
field making the raman signals amplified.

8. Characterization Techniques
The characterization techniques required for our desired applications:
1) X-Ray Diffraction
2) Atomic Force Microscopy
3) Scanning Electron Microscope
4) UV-Visible Spectroscopy

9. THANK YOU