Ni Kun LU Gong-Xuan*

(Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianshui Zhong Road 18, Lanzhou, 730000)

Abstract: The paper focuses on the easy and fast synthesis of silver nanowires, and the catalysis activity of for oxygen electroreduction reaction.AgCl, PVP, and ethylene glycol (EG) were used as soft-template, and reducing agent, respectively. And different aspect ratios of silver nanowires were synthesized with different seeds (AgCl and Ag).By the characterization of SEM, TEM and others, a large quantity of nanowire with a little of nanoparticles was achieved . It was found the aspect ratios of silver nanowires were about 200 (SNWH) with AgCl, and the others were 30 (SNWL) with Ag. It was found the catalysis activity of silver nanowires was obviously and the onset reduction potentials at about -0.17 V and the reduction peaks at about -0.45 V were observed from cyclic voltammetry curves. The current values of reduction peaks on SNWH and SNWL were 3.01×10^-5A and 2.42×10^-5A, and the slope data of Tafel curves were 94and 96 mV/dec respectively. Those above results implied that the activity of SNWH was better than that of SNWL for ORR.The difference of the activity might be due to the different specific surface area of both silver nanowires. The result indicated that both silver nanowires were alcohol-tolerant for ORR. The effects of alcohol on the loss of ORR activity for silver nanowires follow the order: iso-propanol > ethanol > methanol.

E-mail: gxlu@lzb.ac.cn

Journal of Molecular Catalysis, Vol. 25, Issue 2, 2011, 138~146