A study of the nucleation and growth of silver nanowires on titanium dioxide

Silver nanowire (Ag NWs) have been successfully synthesized by thermally assisted photoreduction (TAP) of aqueous silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution on titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films [1]. Nevertheless, the nucleation and nucleation and growth of the Ag NWs on TiO₂ substrate were monitored in detail by in-situ synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction (SR-XRD). As-annealed TiO₂ film, followed by heating from 60 to 300°C, shows strong in-situ SR-XRD ratios of Ag(220)/Ag(200) spectra, indicating the preferred growth direction of NWs toward <;220>;. The nano-Auger electron spectrum (AES) demonstrates that silver nano-particles could was locally at room temperature on as-annealed TiO₂, which was partially excited by blackbody radiation. These Ag clusters will act as nucleation site for Ag NWs. It implies that the homogeneity and amount of electrons on the TiO₂ surface and the accumulative direction of Ag atoms are the key points for Ag Nws synthesis.