Biobased Polymers Enabling the Synthesis of Ultralong Silver Nanowires and Other Nanostructures

Fei Liu, William L. Robinson, Tyler Kirscht, Kristen A. Fichthorn, Shan Jiang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Conventional polyol synthesis of silver nanowires has exclusively relied on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a nonbiodegradable polymer with no viable alternatives. The underlying reaction mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we discovered a new sustainable solution by employing biobased cellulose derivatives, including hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), as effective substitutes for PVP. Under mild reaction conditions (125 °C, ambient pressure), HEC facilitates the growth of ultralong silver nanowires (>100 μm) from penta-twinned silver seeds through a four-stage kinetic process. Theoretical calculations further reveal that HEC is physiosorbed onto the silver surfaces, while the presence of bromide ions (Br-) facilitates the evolution of seeds into nanowires. By varying halide ion concentrations and substitution in different cellulose derivatives, we successfully synthesized silver nanostructures with additional intriguing morphologies, including quasi-spherical nanoparticles, bipyramids, and nanocubes. Furthermore, transparent conductive films fabricated from ultralong silver nanowires synthesized with HEC demonstrated superior performance compared to those made with PVP-synthesized nanowires.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)14381-14388
Number of pages8
JournalNano letters
Volume24
Issue number45
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 13 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Bioengineering
  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanical Engineering

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