Production of bimetallic nanowires through electron beam irradiation of copper- and silver-containing zeolite A

摘要

Nanowires comprising both silver and copper were synthesized through electron beam irradiation ( in a transmission electron microscope) of copper- and silver-containing zeolite A (LTA structure type). The materials were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction, high resolution electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The thickness of the wires was found to be dependent on the electron beam intensity, and their composition on the amount of CuCl occluded within the zeolite pores. The growth mechanism of metal nanowires from zeolites is discussed.