Study of sol-gel derived silver nanoparticle (AgNPs): X-ray computed crystal growth mechanism and thermal analysis

• Crystal growth d-spacing 0.23552 nm by SAED-TEM. • Particle size around 26.67 nm was synchronization by TEM. • Calucalted crystallinity 57.96 % of synthesized AgNPs. • The percentage of purity of the AgNPs is 93 % by EDS. • AgNPs calibarted activation energy at 15.02 kJ/mole. Highly crystalline (57.96 %) and thermally stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated through a unique, simple route involving precursor breakdown, which is facilitated by the chelating agent trisodium citrate dihydrate, a key novelty of this research. XRD confirms the prominent 83 % crystalline phase with a cubic FCC unit cell lattice parameter, a=b=c= 4.0902 Å; α= β=γ= 90 °. The predominant crystal planes (111), (200), (220), (311), (222), where the lattice volume of 68.427 ų and crystal strain of 0.34 % were identified. The crystal structural symmetry observed in the (111) plane exhibits the preferred orientation revealed in the VESTA software. The average crystallite size is 31.56 nm, and UV-visible spectroscopy shows the absorption peak of AgNPs going towards the short wavelength of 423.0 nm for the nano size, which TEM reveals in average size in nanometers, 26.67. Thermal analysis study (TGA and DSC) results showed that the materials are thermally stable up to 130 °C, a glass transition at 195 °C, the melting temperature of the cubic AgNPs is at 960 °C, and a melting enthalpy of 29.56 kJ/g was calculated for their outstanding thermal stability and high crystallinity. The synthesized AgNPs calibrated activation energy calculated in TGA-DSC at 15.02 kJ/mole that signify the performance of NPs. Among the four media, ethanol media showed excellent stability, offering the highest zeta potential, 103.50 to -58.25 mV. TEM conforms to the particle size 18.17 nm, and the phase predominant revealed that (111), (200), (220) planes are uniformly in crystal growth at (111) 0.23552 nm by SAED. EDS confirmed the purity of AgNPs at 93 %.