Production of Ag nanowires with high yield and narrow size distribution by promoting nucleation through hot injection and their application to disposable paper electrodes

Abstract

The polyol method has been the most commonly used technique for fabricating silver nanowires (Ag NWs), wherein additive reagents facilitate precise control over their morphology. In this work, we introduced a straightforward approach to synthesize Ag NWs with minimal impurities and uniform diameter by using hot injection method. The underlying mechanism and final product are evaluated, and the scalable process was optimized to achieve a high yield (∼87.8%). It was found that the hot injection of a Ag precursor at 170 °C significantly accelerated the reduction of Ag ions. The issue of the uniformity of Ag NWs was addressed by adding an organic halide to control the nucleation rate of Ag. The resulting Ag NWs solution was used to impregnated cellulose paper, forming an enhanced electrical network compared to other substrates. Given the low commercial cost of paper, this approach holds significant potential for widespread use in disposable electrodes. Furthermore, after subjecting the fabricated paper electrodes to various forms of damage, the connected LED bulbs consistently maintained their brightness. This demonstrates the network stability and suitability of these electrodes for flexible applications.