Evidence for the monolayer assembly of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) on the surfaces of silver nanowires

The well-defined silver (Ag) nanowires with five-twinned structure have been prepared by polyol reduction in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP K-30, 40 000). The obtained Ag nanowires are nearly monodispersed with an average diameter of 70 nm and length of 6 mum. It is confirmed from the results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform Raman spectra (FT-Raman) that one monolayer of the PVP molecules might be absorbed on the surface of the Ag nanowires through Ag-O coordination. On the basis of the experimental analysis, the probable spatial conformation of the PVP molecules is supposed to be that the CH skeleton chain of the PVP is close to the surface of the Ag nanowires. The pyrrolidone ring might be tilted on the surface of the Ag nanowires through Ag:O coordination. These results may provide direct evidence for the role of the PVP molecules in the formation of the Ag nanowires.