Synthesis optimisation of lysozyme monolayer-coated silver nanoparticles in aqueous solution

This paper presents an optimisation of the synthesis of silver nanoparticles encapsulated in a biological shell. The synthesis was carried out in an aqueous solution of silver nitrate. Sodium borohydride was used as a reducing agent. Lysozyme served as a bioactive coating agent. The samples produced were studied using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The function of the dependence of the reagent ratio in obtained sols on optical properties is shown. Furthermore, the influence of the synthesis temperature, reactant ratio, and order of mixing on the particle size distribution parameters is shown. The optimal reagent mass ratio, NaBH₄ : LYZ : AgNO₃ = 0.22 : 0.77 : 1, is established. The resulting composition allows the synthesis of particles with a mean diameter of 18 nm and a bioshell thickness of ≈3.5 nm. Moreover, the necessity of the synthesis optimisation and precise parameter control is clearly demonstrated.