Preparation and characterization of highly planar flexible silver crystal belts

Abstract

We report a novel simple one-pot strategy for fabricating pure and highly planar silver (Ag) crystal belts. Unique single-crystal Ag belts (high width-to-thickness ratio ∼50) were successfully synthesized in high yield (80 wt%) by reducing AgNO₃ using N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) as a reducing and a structure-determining agent in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) under mild conditions.