Solution Synthesis of Single Crystalline Zinc Nanowires

Nanowires of relatively stable metals, including Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, and Pd have garnered much attention for their highly anisotropic shapes, unique properties, and demonstrated potential applications. However, nanowires of more reactive metals, such as Zn, are much less explored. Here, we report a solution-phase synthesis that generates single crystalline Zn nanowires in high yield that remain air stable for months due to a native oxide layer protecting the metal surface. The diameter of the nanowires is around 50-90 nm and the length extends well over 20 μm along ⟨0001⟩ and ⟨1210⟩ directions. These high aspect ratio nanowires readily form percolated network when blended in resins, which could bring new opportunities for Zn-based anticorrosion coatings. In a proof-of-concept, by replacing Zn microparticles with nanowires, comparable anticorrosion performance can be achieved while reducing Zn loading by 75 wt % and overall coating weight by 60%. This discovery provides a material foundation to explore the synthesis and properties of relatively reactive metal nanostructures.