Controlled synthesis of Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires with smooth and bristled surfaces via a one-step solution route.

Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires were synthesized via a one-step solution method without using a template. Interestingly, the shell morphologies can be controlled to be smooth or bristled by altering the reaction temperature. Moreover, the TiO2 shell thickness and bristle length can be tuned by changing the AgNO3 concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the resultant Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires. Moreover, the absorption peaks of our samples are significantly red-shifted compared with those of the uncoated pure silver nanowires, indicating that interaction between the core and shell occurred. On the basis of the experimental results, we proposed a template-induced Oswald ripening mechanism to explain the formation of the Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires.