Facile one-pot synthesis of self-assembled silver@polypyrrole core/shell nanosnakes

Abstract

Snakes on a plane TEM grid! Tortuous core/shell nanostructures are produced by a simple, additive-free, one-pot hydrothermal reaction at 120-150 °C. Electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicate that the inner silver core is coherent. The nanosnakes (see image) form through self-assembly of reduced silver particles inside a polypyrrole matrix.