Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticle-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites

Abstract

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) grown by spray pyrolysis have been decorated with silver nanoparticles prepared via the silver mirror reaction. Good dispersion of silver nanostructures was obtained on the surface of MWCNTs, resulting in an efficient and simple wet chemistry method for increasing the reactivity of the carbon nanotubes surfaces. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the orientations of the crystallography planes of the anchored silver nanoparticles and revealed their size distribution. Raman spectroscopy results confirm that the composite material preserves the integrity of the MWCNTs. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were also employed for sample characterization.