Low temperature synthesis and growth mechanism of Ag nanowires

Silver nanorods and nanowires were successfully synthesized by converting nanoparticles at a relatively low temperature of 50 °C. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by reducing silver nitrate with hydrazine in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), decanoic acid, and dodecylamine. The aspect ratio could be controlled over a wide range, from 1 to 70 by varying the reaction time and temperature. A transmission electron microscopy study indicates that the ends of the nanowire are terminated by four {1 1 1} facets arranged radially to the 〈1 0 0〉 direction of elongation and side walls of the nanowires along the length is surrounded by {1 1 0} facets. The very selective Ag ions diffusion onto the highly reactive {1 1 1} facets is supposed to result in the anisotropic growth.