One-dimensional silver nanowires synthesized by self-seeding polyol process

One-dimensional silver nanowires with uniform diameters and different aspect ratios grown in large scale have been synthesized by self-seeding polyol process. The microstructure of Ag nanowires was tested by XRD, SEM, and TEM. The different growth process of the Ag nanowires has been traced by UV–visible absorption spectra and SEM. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation and Raman spectra further show that the PVP molecules are adsorbed on the surface of Ag nanowires through Ag:O coordination. A possible growth mechanism of the Ag nanowires has been proposed. It is implied that the PVP molecules are used as both a protecting agent and a structure-directing agent for the growth of Ag nanowires. The results indicate that the selective adsorption of PVP on the side surfaces of {100} and the end surfaces of {111} plays a crucial role for the growth of the anisotropic silver nanostructures.