In situ x-ray diffraction study of the size dependent thermal expansion of silver nanowires

The thermal expansion of as-prepared and annealed silver nanowires embedded in anodic alumina membranes with different diameters was studied by in situ x-ray diffraction in the temperature range from 25 to 800 degrees C. For both the as-prepared and annealed samples, the coefficients of thermal expansion have "V" shape change as the diameters increase; and the minimum values of the coefficients of thermal expansion do not correspond to the same diameters of nanowires. The collective effects of the surface tension, the limit effects of anodic alumina membrane, and the vacancies incorporated into the silver lattice were responsible for the thermal expansion. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.