Photochemically reduced polyoxometalate assisted generation of silver and gold nanoparticles in composite films: a single step route

A simple method to embed noble metal (Ag, Au) nanoparticles in organic–inorganic nanocomposite films by single step method is described. This is accomplished by the assistance of Keggin ions present in the composite film. The photochemically reduced composite film has served both as a reducing agent and host for the metal nanoparticles in a single process. The embedded metal nanoparticles in composites film have been characterized by UV–Visible, TEM, EDAX, XPS techniques. Particles of less than 20 nm were readily embedded using the described approach, and monodisperse nanoparticles were obtained under optimized conditions. The fluorescence experiments showed that embedded Ag and Au nanoparticles are responsible for fluorescence emissions. The described method is facile and simple, and provides a simple potential route to fabricate self-standing noble metal embedded composite films.