Synthesis of very thin Ag nanowires with fewer particles by suppressing secondary seeding

Abstract

The synthesis of very thin Ag nanowires in the presence of Br⁻ ions is typically accompanied by the generation of a huge amount of Ag nanoparticles. Herein, we report a method to suppress the homogeneous nucleation of Ag seeds in the growth process of Ag nanowires, hence dramatically enhancing the purity of the synthesized very thin Ag nanowires. These Ag nanowires having a diameter approaching 20 nm and an aspect ratio larger than 1500, as well as an ultra-low particle impurity level of 5.5% are directly used after simple water washing to form transparent conductive films with much improved optical and electrical properties, which have great potential for high-end applications including touch panels.