A self-seeding coreduction method for shape control of silver nanoplates

This work reports a newly developed synthesis method, i.e., a self-seeding coreduction method, for shape control of silver nanoparticles such as triangular nanoplates and circular nanodiscs. By this method, high surface-to-volume silver nanoplates (similar to 2.3 nm in thickness) were successfully generated. The distinct advantages of this method include no need to add external seeds, no need to use organic solvents that are environmentally unfriendly, being able to perform at room temperature, and synergetic use of a few reducing agents for better growth control of two-dimensional nanostructures. In particular, molecular dynamics simulation is used to quantify the interaction energies between surfactant molecules and different facets of silver crystal. Such molecular information, together with measurements using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, has proven to be useful in understanding the growth mechanisms of silver nanoplates.