Capping agent and Stabilizing agent could be the same in one case and could be the different reagent in the other. Ex 1: let us consider the well known "Turkevich method" which is used for the synthesis of colloidal gold nano particles. Here Aurum (gold) ions are reduced to gold atoms using the addition of citrate ions. The same citrate ions will cap to the gold atoms and acts as a stabilizing agent in controlling the size of the gold nano particles. So here The citrate ions will act as a reducing agent as well as a stabilizing agent by capping to the gold atoms. More details you can find here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_gold
Ex 2: Let us consider the another case, where one will add a different agent to stabilize the already synthesized nano particles to avoid the agglomeration from long time duration. For example the "Brust method", here Alkanethiols will be added to stabilize the particles even after they are precipitated and redissolved. so here the stabilizing agent is different from the capping agent (sodium borohydride).
check out here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_gold
Capping agent and Stabilizing agent could be the same in one case and could be the different reagent in the other.
Ex 1: let us consider the well known "Turkevich method" which is used for the synthesis of colloidal gold nano particles. Here Aurum (gold) ions are reduced to gold atoms using the addition of citrate ions. The same citrate ions will cap to the gold atoms and acts as a stabilizing agent in controlling the size of the gold nano particles.
So here The citrate ions will act as a reducing agent as well as a stabilizing agent by capping to the gold atoms.
More details you can find here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_gold
Ex 2: Let us consider the another case, where one will add a different agent to stabilize the already synthesized nano particles to avoid the agglomeration from long time duration. For example the "Brust method", here Alkanethiols will be added to stabilize the particles even after they are precipitated and redissolved.
so here the stabilizing agent is different from the capping agent (sodium borohydride).
check out here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_gold
:)
Sriram.G