(642f) Phase Behavior and Self-Assembly of Silver Nanowire Liquid Crystals

Silver nanowire films can be achieved by coating substrates with isotropic, biphasic or liquid crystalline dispersions; these coatings have potential applications in the areas of for electronic displays, sensors and antimicrobial materials.  Optimizing the microstructure requires understanding the dispersion microstructure and rheological properties.  We report the rheological properties and phase behavior of silver nanowire dispersions produced using the microwave assisted polyol method.  Since nanoparticles are also formed by this, and other, synthesis methods we also explore the effects of the nanowire to nanoparticle ratio on rheology and phase behavior.  Cross-polarized optical microscopy and rheology show that in the presence of nanoparticle aggregates, the silver nanowires form demixed nematic phases. The microstructures of coatings assembled from these dispersions were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy; this enabled evaluation of the effects of the initial dispersion microstructure and processing on the assembled material.