An important consideration of this work is that the deposition of PAH and PAA-AgNPs is at the same pH (7.5) because PAA at this pH FHPI ic50 or higher pH values plays a key role in order to preserve the aggregation state of the nanoparticles during the synthesis process (Figure 3) with a perfect control of the resultant color without any further precipitation. When the pH of the dipping solutions (PAA-AgNPs) is lowered below 7.0, a change of the coloration is observed in all the experiments which it is indicative of a loss of the aggregation state of the PAA-AgNPs
with an increase in opalescence and a further precipitation with a complete loss of color (transparent solutions) at low selleck chemical pH values (pH 4.0 or lower). Figure 3 Variation of the buy AZD5363 multicolor silver nanoparticles (PAA-AgNPs) as a function of the pH value for violet (A), green (B) and orange coloration (C). Due to these changes concerning to the color as a function of the pH dipping solutions, the reason of choosing pH 7.5 for both PAH and PAA-AgNPs
is the base to obtain the multicolor films. In addition, the fundamental element to obtain the multilayer buildup is the presence of ionized groups of these weak polyelectrolytes, which are responsible for the electrostatic assembly and the spatial control of the previously silver nanoparticles distribution (colored PAA-AgNPs) in the multilayer film when the number of bilayers is increased. In Figure 4, a detail of the evolution of the absorption peaks (UV–vis spectroscopy) and the corresponding color formation during the LbL fabrication process for both PAH and PAA-AgNPs (orange coloration) is shown as a function of the number of bilayers added to the corresponding films. Figure 4 UV–vis spectroscopy of the orange multilayer films for different number of bilayers (10, 20, 30 and 40) and photographs of the coatings. From the results of Figure 4, it can be said that a successful deposition of orange colored films was obtained. A LSPR Sclareol absorption peak centred
at 440 nm grows as a function of the number of bilayers deposited onto glass slides via LbL assembly (10, 20, 30 and 40 bilayers, respectively). The intensity increase of the absorption band at 440 nm or the orange coloration of the films, is the result of an incorporation of spherical AgNPs in the multilayer assembly. As it has been previously commented, the aim of this manuscript is to get thin films with the same coloration that the initial PAA-AgNPs solution. The next step will be to incorporate the violet silver nanoparticles in the LbLbuildup. In Figure 5, a study of the evolution of the absorption bands corresponding to both PAH and PAA-AgNPs (violet) during the LbL fabrication process is studied at the same number of bilayers.