Transformation of Ag Nanowires into Semiconducting AgFeS_2 Nanowires

摘要

We report on the synthesis of semiconducting AgFeS_2 nanowires, obtained from the conversion of Ag nanowires. The study of the conversion process shows that the formation of Ag_2S nanowires, as an intermediate step, precedes the conversion into AgFeS_2 nanowires. The chemical properties of AgFeS_2 nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at intermediate steps of the conversion process and show that the temperature at which the reaction takes place is critical to obtaining nanowires as opposed to nanotubes. Optical measurements on nanowire ensembles confirm the semiconducting nature of AgFeS_2, with a direct band gap of 0.88 eV.