Preparation and Properties Research of Ag@MxOy Core-Shell Nanocables

Two kinds of core/shell type Ag@Al2O3 and Ag@SiO2 nanocables were prepared by the chemical reduction of AgNO3 as Ag core and the hydrolysis of metal alkoxides as shell. The SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR and UV-Vis analysis were used to characterize the microstructures and chemical characteristics of Ag@MxOy nanocables. Microstructure analysis by SEM and TEM showed that both of the obtained Ag@Al2O3 and Ag@SiO2 nanocables have typical core shell structure. Transmission electron microscopy measurements revealed that the diameter of Ag is about 35 nm and the shell thickness is 5 nm. FT-IR patterns proved that Ag core and MxOy shell has corresponding to a diffraction peak and the absorption peak of the vibration. XRD patterns showed the presence of the noble metal (Ag) and the differences of the diffraction peak intensity, which indicated the presence of MxOy shell. UV-Vis spectra showed that the plasma resonance absorption of Ag@MxOy nanocables has a weak red shift, due to the scattering effect of the MxOy shell. These Ag@MxOy core/shell nanocables will gain increasing applications in nanoscale electronic, optoelectronic, and sensing devices.