Silver nanowires whose diameters could be controlled in the range of 15–30 nm and lengths up to ∼20 μm were prepared by the high-pressure polyol method. The first step involved the formation of Ag nanoparticles by reducing silver nitrate in the presence of NaCl and KBr with ethylene glycol. At the growing step, the adjustable reaction pressure controls the diameter of the silver nanowires, which were in the range 15–22 nm when the pressure was 200 psi. These Ag nanowires showed an electrical conductivity of 0.4 × 105 S/cm, and the intensity of scattered light and the optical transmittance were largely improved.

Thin and long silver nanowires were successfully synthesized using the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted polyol method in the presence of ionic liquids, tetrapropylammonium chloride and tetrapropylammonium bromide, which served as soft template salts. The first step involved the formation of Ag nanoparticles with a diameter of 40 to 50 nm through the reduction of silver nitrate. At the growing stage, the Ag nanoparticles were converted into thin and long one-dimensional wires, with uniform diameters of 30 ± 3 nm and lengths of up to 50 μm. These Ag nanowires showed an electrical conductivity of 0.3 × 105 S/cm, while the sheet resistance of a two-dimensional percolating Ag nanowire network exhibited a value of 20 Ω/sq with an optical transmittance of 93% and a low haze value.

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