Multiple activation of ion track etched polycarbonate for the electroless synthesis of metal nanotubes

In our study, we examined the formation of thin films of silver nanoparticles on polycarbonate and the influence of the silver loading on the electroless synthesis of metal nanotubes. Control of the silver film thickness occurred by consecutive dipping of the polymer template in tin(II) and silver(I) solutions. The deposition progress was studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The reaction mechanism relies on the adsorption of reactive ions on the polymer template as well as on the silver nanoparticles. The initial catalytic activity of silver-covered ion track etched polycarbonate is an important governing factor for the electroless synthesis of metal nanotubes with desired thickness and shape. Therefore, the presented method allows specific template preparation according to given synthetic demands. High aspect ratio copper, gold, and platinum nanotubes were produced by the combination of sufficiently activated templates with optimized electroless plating procedures.