A modified polyol process for growing Ag nanowires and nanoplates using 2-ethoxy ethanol

A modified polyol process was proposed to prepare Ag nanowires in this study. The typical reductant, ethylene glycol, was replaced with 2-ethoxy ethanol in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to grow Ag nanowires and nanoplates. The growth of Ag nanowires was monitored by the UV–Visible spectrum, which depends on the geometry-dependent surface plasmon resonances of the Ag nanowires. The crystal phase of the Ag nanostructures was identified by X-ray diffraction. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the average dimensions of the Ag nanowires were lengths of approximately 2–10 μm and diameter of 80 nm. The PVP molecules played a key role in directing the growth of the Ag nanostructures along the (111) crystal plane, and the reduction rate of Ag⁺ at 25 °C when 2-ethoxy ethanol was used was faster than when ethylene glycol was used, which improved the growth of the Ag nanowires. When the AgNO₃-to-PVP ratio was adjusted to 2, multiple twinned particles could be observed at an initial stage of the reaction, and a higher yield of the Ag nanowires was synthesized. When the PVP drop rate was slowed, more Ag nanowires were grown. Interestingly, when the AgNO₃ and PVP molecules were initially premixed, Ag nanoplates were generated, rather than nanowires, at a higher temperature in this reduction system.