A Process-Intensified Approach for Large-Scale Manufacturing of Silver Nanowires Using a Continuous Flow Reactor: Experiments and Application

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) have recently emerged as exceptional materials for fabricating flexible and transparent conductive films, which are essential for a range of electronic and wearable devices. This study investigates the large-scale synthesis of AgNWs through a process-intensified approach using a continuous flow reactor, providing insight into seed formation and growth. The synthesis process was refined by optimizing the precursor ratios and their interactions with the precursors, with key parameters including temperature, the silver-to-chloride ion ratio, the silver-to-capping agent ratio, and precursor concentrations. The synthesized AgNWs were characterized by using electron microscopy. Additionally, these nanowires were incorporated into electrically conductive inks. The optimized ink formulation in this study consists of a blend of AgNWs suspended in ethylene glycol (EG) and a cosolvent. The printed patterns exhibit excellent conductivity and stability over several months, demonstrating their potential for cost-effective printed electronics. This approach offers a promising strategy for the continuous synthesis of AgNWs, paving the way for scalable nanomaterial manufacturing.