Production of Ag nanocubes on a scale of 0.1 g per batch by protecting the NaHS-mediated polyol synthesis with argon.

Au nanocages synthesized from Ag nanocubes via the galvanic replacement reaction are finding widespread use in a range of applications because of their tunable optical properties. Most of these applications require the use of nanocages with a uniform size and in large quantities. This requirement translates into a demand for scaling up the production of Ag nanocubes with uniform, well-controlled sizes. Here we report such a method based on the modification of NaHS-mediated polyol synthesis with argon protection for fast reduction, which allows for the production of Ag nanocubes on a scale of 0.1 g per batch. The Ag nanocubes had an edge length tunable from 25 to 45 nm together with a size variation within +/-5 nm. The use of argon protection was the key to the success of this scale-up synthesis, suggesting the importance of controlling oxidative etching during synthesis.