10.1021/nl202538q.s001
Yugang Sun
Yugang
Sun
Yuxin Wang
Yuxin
Wang
Monitoring of Galvanic Replacement Reaction between Silver Nanowires and HAuCl<sub>4</sub> by In Situ Transmission X-ray Microscopy
American Chemical Society
2011
nanotube
solution
TXM
HAuCl 4
flow cell reactor
Galvanic Replacement Reaction
silver nanowires
replacement
2011-10-12 00:00:00
Journal contribution
https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Monitoring_of_Galvanic_Replacement_Reaction_between_Silver_Nanowires_and_HAuCl_sub_4_sub_by_In_Situ_Transmission_X_ray_Microscopy/2603884
Galvanic replacement reaction between silver nanowires and an aqueous solution of HAuCl<sub>4</sub> has been successfully monitored in real time by using in situ transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) in combination with a flow cell reactor. The in situ observations clearly show the morphological evolution of the solid silver nanowires to hollow gold nanotubes in the course of the reaction. Careful analysis of the images reveals that the galvanic replacement reaction on the silver nanowires involves multiple steps: (i) local initiation of pitting process; (ii) anisotropic etching of the silver nanowires and uniform deposition of the resulting gold atoms on the surfaces of the nanowires; and (iii) reconstruction of the nanotube walls via an Ostwald ripening process. The in situ TXM represents a promising approach for studying dynamic processes involved in the growth and chemical transformation of nanomaterials in solutions, in particular for nanostructures with dimensions larger than 50 nm.