One-pot room-temperature aqueous synthesis of Ag2Te–Ag nanocomposites†
Abstract
The reaction taking place at room temperature is considered a green route in terms of saving energy. Ag2Te–Ag nanocomposites are fabricated using a reaction carried out at room temperature in one pot without any organic substance involved. Various amounts of silver in the Ag2Te–Ag nanocomposite can be obtained by controlling the reaction time. A possible mechanism is proposed for Ag2Te–Ag nanocomposite formation with an observable core–shell structure at the incipient stage of Ag2Te growth. Differential thermal analysis indicates that the structural transition temperature is barely affected by the Ag content in the nanocomposites. However, the reaction duration has a significant effect on the electrical transport behaviour of the nanocomposites due to the various amounts of Ag, which might be beneficial for enhancing the performance of thermoelectric composites.