Silver inverse opals were prepared electrochemically using non-toxic water–ethanol rhodanic and sulfite electrolytes for silver plating. Electrochemical crystallization of silver occurred in the pores of opal matrices made of 350 nm polystyrene microspheres. Samples with the most uniform structure and lowest percentage of surface admixtures were obtained from rhodanic electrolytes. Reflectance optical spectra of the silver inverse opals with a high surface periodicity showed various plasmon excitation modes in a visible spectral range making the silver opals attractive for plasmonics.
Silver inverse opals have been prepared electrochemically using a number of water-ethanol acidic or alkaline electrolytes. Opal matrices made of polystyrene microspheres of 420 nm diameter were used as templates. Compositions of electrolytes and conditions of syntheses have been optimized according to cyclic voltammetry and stability window of silver complexes during the experiments. Samples with the most uniform structure have been deposited from the iodous electrolyte. At the same time, the list percentage of surface admixtures observed for the opals formed from the rhodanide electrolyte using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Reflectance optical spectra of the silver inverse opals measured with angles of incidence of 8 - 64° have shown various plasmon excitation modes in a visible spectral range according to the Bragg effect making the silver opals attractive for the Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.