Size dependence of the phase composition of silver nanoparticles formed by the electric explosion of a wire

Transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) have been used to determine the morphological and phase features of silver nanoparticles synthesized by a physical method of electric explosion of silver wires. In the nanoparticles obtained, the presence of a hexagonal phase was detected besides the cubic phase and the size dependence of the phase composition of the nanoparticles has been revealed; all particles smaller than 25 nm only had a hexagonal structure, particles with sizes of 25–30 nm contained both the hexagonal and cubic phases, and particles larger than 30 nm had only a cubic structure. Based on an analysis of the conditions of synthesis of silver nanoparticles, an attempt to explain the mechanism of the stabilization of the hexagonal phase depending on the particle size was undertaken.