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.