Colloidal metal nanoparticles are emerging as key materials for catalysis, plasmonics, sensing, and spectroscopy. Within these applications, control of nanoparticle shape lends increasing functionality and selectivity. Shape-controlled nanocrystals possess well-defined surfaces and morphologies because their nucleation and growth are controlled at the atomic level. An overall picture of shaped metal particles is presented, with a particular focus on solution-based syntheses for the noble metals. General strategies for synthetic control are discussed, emphasizing key factors that result in anisotropic, nonspherical growth such as crystallographically selective adsorbates and seeding processes.

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Shape Control of Colloidal Metal Nanocrystals

This paper describes a soft, solution-phase approach to the large-scale synthesis of uniform nanowires of bicrystalline silver whose lateral dimensions could be controlled in the range of 30−40 nm, and lengths up to ∼50 μm. The first step of this procedure involved the formation of platinum nanoparticles by reducing PtCl2 with ethylene glycol heated to ∼160 °C. Due to their close match in crystal structure and lattice constants, these platinum nanoparticles could serve as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of silver that was produced in the solution via the reduction of AgNO3 with ethylene glycol. When surfactants such as poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) were present in this solution, the silver could be directed to grow into uniform nanowires with aspect ratios as high as ∼1000. Measurements of transport property at room temperature indicated that these nanowires were electrically continuous with a conductivity of approximately 0.8 × 105 S/cm.

Crystalline Silver Nanowires by Soft Solution Processing

A solution-phase approach has been demonstrated for the large-scale synthesis of silver nanowires with diameters in the range of 30−40 nm, and lengths up to ∼50 μm. The first step of this process involved the formation of Pt (or Ag) nanoparticles by reducing PtCl2 (or AgNO3) with ethylene glycol (EG) heated to ∼160 °C. These Pt (or Ag) nanoparticles could serve as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of silver (formed by reducing AgNO3 with EG) because of their close match in crystal structure and lattice constants. In the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), the growth of silver could be directed into a highly anisotropic mode to form uniform nanowires with aspect ratios as high as ∼1000. UV−visible spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, XRD, and electron diffraction were used to characterize these silver nanowires, indicating the formation of a highly pure phase, as well as a uniform diameter and bicrystalline structure. Both morphology and aspect ratios of these silver nanostructures could be varie...

Uniform silver nanowires synthesis by reducing AgNO3 with ethylene glycol in the presence of seeds and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)

Silver nanoparticles (NPs) have been the subjects of researchers because of their unique properties (e.g., size and shape depending optical, antimicrobial, and electrical properties). A variety of preparation techniques have been reported for the synthesis of silver NPs; notable examples include, laser ablation, gamma irradiation, electron irradiation, chemical reduction, photochemical methods, microwave processing, and biological synthetic methods. This review presents an overview of silver nanoparticle preparation by physical, chemical, and biological synthesis. The aim of this review article is, therefore, to reflect on the current state and future prospects, especially the potentials and limitations of the above mentioned techniques for industries.

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Shu H. Yu

Papers

A Novel Ultraviolet Irradiation Photoreduction Technique for the Preparation of Single-Crystal Ag Nanorods and Ag Dendrites

A Novel Ultraviolet Irradiation Photoreduction Technique for the Preparation of Single-Crystal Ag Nanorods and Ag Dendrites.