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Statistically Rigorous Silver Nanowire Diameter Distribution Quantification by Automated Electron Microscopy and Image Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2019

Clifford S. Todd Open the ORCID record for Clifford S. Todd [Opens in a new window] ,
William A. Heeschen ,
Peter Y. Eastman  and
Ellen C. Keene
Clifford S. Todd*
Affiliation:
Analytical Science, The Dow Chemical Company, 1897 Building, Midland, MI 48667, USA
William A. Heeschen
Affiliation:
Analytical Science, The Dow Chemical Company, 1897 Building, Midland, MI 48667, USA
Peter Y. Eastman
Affiliation:
Analytical Science, The Dow Chemical Company, 400 Arcola Road, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
Ellen C. Keene
Affiliation:
Analytical Science, The Dow Chemical Company, 1897 Building, Midland, MI 48667, USA
*
*Author for correspondence: Clifford S. Todd, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Silver nanowire (AgNW) diameters are typically characterized by manual measurement from high magnification electron microscope images. Measurement is monotonous and has potential ergonomic hazards. Because of this, statistics regarding wire diameter distribution can be poor, costly, and low-throughput. In addition, manual measurements are of unknown uncertainty and operator bias. In this paper we report an improved microscopy method for diameter and yield measurement of nanowires in terms of speed/automation and reduction of analyst variability. Each step in the process to generate these measurements was analyzed and optimized: microscope imaging conditions, sample preparation for imaging, image acquisition, image analysis, and data processing. With the resulting method, average diameter differences between samples of just a few nanometers can be confidently and statistically distinguished, allowing the identification of subtle incremental improvements in reactor processing conditions, and insight into nucleation and growth kinetics of AgNWs.

Keywords

biasdiameter distributionimage analysisnanowiressilver
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , June 2019 , pp. 630 - 638
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2019 

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Footnotes

†

Retired.

References

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