Fabrication of polycrystalline silver nanowires via reversed micelle with amphiphilic diblock copolymer and aluminum oxide template at controlled temperature

Abstract An amphiphilic diblock copolymer consisting of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid was synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization via a hydrolysis process design. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by a reverse micelle method using the synthesized diblock copolymer as a surfactant. Silver nanoparticle‐embedded fibers were then fabricated using an anodic aluminum oxide template. Silver nanoparticle‐embedded porous polymer fibers were fabricated by adding unreactive diphenyl sulfide in polymer matrix. They are expected to be applied to recyclable metal catalyst systems. After sintering of silver nanoparticle‐embedded polymer fibers at a relatively lower temperature, silver nanowires were fabricated. Moreover, the surfactant effect on both self assembly of nanoparticle clusters and silver nanowires surface smoothness were compared with the previously reported results. Silver nanoparticles coordinated amphiphilic copolymer was found to reveal higher thermal resistance. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1352–1359, 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers