Twisting Ultrathin Au Nanowires into Double Helices

Previously, double helix nanowire was reported by coating Pd/Pt/Au onto Au-Ag alloy nanowire. Here, straight oleylamine-stabilized ultrathin Au nanowires with single crystalline fcc lattice are surprisingly converted into double helix helices upon reacting with Ag in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The obtained Au-Ag helical nanowires contain lattice distinctively different from the fcc lattice and are different in many aspects with the previous system. The discovery may expand the scope of nanoscale double helix formation and the understanding of lattice transformation among ultrafine nanostructures.