Single-Step Synthesis and Optical Properties of Bimetallic Fe–Ag Nanoparticles.

Bimetallic nanoparticles containing ferromagnetic iron (Fe) and plasmonic silver (Ag) are synthesized by one-step chemical reduction process. Structural and optical properties of nanoparticles are studied by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction technique, UV-Visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurement. Tunable optical properties with the variation of Ag percentage in the Fe–Ag nanoparticles are observed. Sharp absorption peak due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is observed in the visible spectrum range for Fe–Ag nanoparticles which is absent in Fe nanoparticles. LSPR peak shows redshift due to variation in shape and size of the nanoparticles having higher Ag content. Enhanced photoluminescence in the bimetallic nanoparticles is attributed to the observed surface plasmon resonance.