Facile way to prepare one dimensional Ag@oligoaniline wires

Abstract

Abstract Silver wires (SWs) are directly prepared from aqueous silver nitrate by depositing reduced silver nano-particles (AgNPs) on the self-assembled, 1-D wires of the nitric acid doped tetraanilines (TeAN-ES) which also behave as the reducing agent. The molecular weights (MW) of most of the TeAN-ES after the redox reaction are found to be doubled, obtained from the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) spectra. The doubled MW attributed to the head-to-head coupling of TeAN-ES molecules, resulting in the formation of octaaniline (OcAN) during the redox reaction and the functional group that connects two TeAN-ES molecules is characterized as doped phenazine by IR-spectrum. The extended conjugation chain length from TeAN-ES to OcAN is confirmed by the additional λ max peak in the near-IR range. AgNPs were obtained from the redox reaction between Ag + and 1-D, self-assembled TeAN-ES which is covered with deposited AgNPs, leading to the formation of both SWs and OcANs. The mixture eventually becomes networks of non-woven fabric made of Ag@oligoaniline wires which also induce the plummeting resistance of the mixture.