Controlled synthesis of uniform silver nanowires with high aspect ratios in aqueous solutions of gemini surfactant

Abstract

A simple solution-phase approach has been demonstrated for the large-scale synthesis of silver nanowires with diameters in the range of 15 25 nm, and lengths usually in the range of tens of micrometers. In the presence of gemini surfactant 1,3-bis(cetyldimethylammonium) propane dibromide (16-3-16), the growth of silver could be directed into a highly anisotropic mode to form uniform nanowires with aspect ratios up to about 2,000. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron diffraction (ED), and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, were used to characterize the as-prepared silver nanowires, indicating the formation of a highly pure phase, good crystallinity, as well as a uniform diameter.