Fabrication of Ag/polypyrrole coaxial nanocables through common ions adsorption effect

According to the common ions adsorption effect, Ag+ ions will be adsorbed onto the closest surface of silver nanowires after being immersed in AgNO3 solution. This makes the surface of silver nanowires become the active sites to oxidize pyrrole monomer to form PPy sheath without adding other oxidizing agent. The results of FT-IR and UV–vis spectra show the formation of PPy chain when pyrrole monomer was added to the reaction mixture containing the disposed silver nanowires. TEM images further prove that the Ag/polypyrrole (PPy) coaxial nanocables have been fabricated. The thickness of PPy sheath can be controlled by adjusting the concentration of AgNO3 aqueous solution, which used to dispose silver nanowires. To some extent, the thickness of PPy layer would increase with the increasing of the concentration of AgNO3 solution. After the adsorbed Ag+ ions on the surface of silver nanowires reach to the saturation, the thickness of PPy layer would not change greatly with continuously increasing of AgNO3 concentration.