US Patent 7922787 - Silver nanowire production

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7922787.html


Silver nanowire films have been proposed for transparent electrodes and in anti-microbial applications. This patent from Seashell Technology teaches a manufacturing method which may allow lower temperature processing. Claim 16 reads:

16. A method for the production of silver nanowires comprising reacting as reactants in a reaction a mixture of:

i) at least one polyol;

ii) at least one silver compound capable of producing silver metal when reduced; and

iii) at least one organic protective agent (OPA);

at a reaction temperature and under conditions that produce silver nanowires, wherein the silver compound is in solid form when mixed with other reactants rather than mixed as a silver solution.