Facile and mass-producible fabrication of one-dimensional ag nanoparticle arrays

A new facile fabrication method for diameter-controlled 1D Ag NP arrays is demonstrated. The decomposition of nanowires consisting of metal cations and reducing ligands was employed to create 1D NP arrays. Metal cations in a nanowire were reduced by the ligands and form metal NPs during the decomposition process caused by heating or UV irradiation. Silver phenylacetylide was used as a raw material that polymerizes and form an organic matrix surrounding Ag NPs in the decomposition process that keeps the wire shape and protects Ag NPs from oxidation. The formation of Ag NPs was evidenced by powder X-ray diffraction patterns, while histograms indicated the controllability of the nanowire diameter in the range of 30-100 nm. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of UV-irradiated nanowires show that a nanowire is converted into an assembly of Ag NPs after irradiation and the diameter of arrays can be controlled by changing the recrystallization solvent.