Abstract:

We developed a low temperature solvothermal approach to synthesize single crystal silver nanoplates with edge lengths of 1-4 μm, thicknesses of 50-100 nm and aspect ratios ≥10 in a large-scale. In this solvothermal approach, N,N-dimethyllformamide (DMF) was used as a main reducing agent and as a solvent, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as a supplementary reducing agent and capping agent, and silver nitrates were used as precursors. The as-obtained silver products of high-purity were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We investigated the impact of different solvents on the morphologies of these silver nanostructures and proposed a possible growth mechanism for the as-synthesized silver nanoplates with large edge lengths and high aspect ratios. The current work provides a new reliable kinetic approach to tune the edge lengths and aspect ratios of silver nanoplates. The as-obtained silver nanoplates with large edge lengths and high aspect ratios have potential important application in polymer-based conductive composites and electromagnetic shielding materials.

Key words: Nanocrystal, N,N-dimethyllformamide, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Silver nanoplates, Conductive composite