Methods for the production of silver nanowires

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to novel methods for the solution-based production of silver nanowires by adaptation of the polyol process. Some embodiments of the present invention can be practiced at lower temperature and/or at higher concentration than previously described methods. In some embodiments reactants are added in solid form rather than in solution. In some embodiments, an acid compound is added to the reaction.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for the production of silver nanowires comprising reacting:
 i) at least one polyol;   ii) at least one silver compound capable of producing silver metal when reduced;   iii) at least one organic protective agent (OPA);   iv) optionally at least one compound comprising halide ion; and   v) optionally at least one compound comprising Fe(II) and/or Fe(III);   as reactants in a reaction at a reaction temperature and under conditions that produce a product solution comprising at least 10 weight percent (10 wgt %) silver nanowires as compared with a weight percent of all other silver nanostructures in the product solution;
 a) wherein the reaction temperature is less than or equal to 145° C.; and/or wherein a ratio of total moles of silver (either as an ion or as metal) to a total volume of polyol or polyols (in liters) in the product solution is greater than or equal to 0.1 molar; and 
 b) wherein a ratio of a molar concentration of the organic protective agent to a molar concentration of the silver (either as an ion or as metal) in the product solution is less than or equal to 10:1.