Low temperature nanowire growth on arbitrary substrates

A method of producing nanowires on arbitrary substrate, said method comprising:

• depositing a thin non-zinc metal seed layer as a heterogeneous seed layer on a substrate, the non-zinc metal comprising at least one of silver (Ag), wherein the substrate is at least one of curved and flexible;
• oxidizing the non-zinc metal seed layer to produce an oxidation layer on the non-zinc metal seed layer and to reduce lattice mismatch between the non-zinc metal seed layer and nanowire to be grown on the oxidization layer, wherein the oxidization layer comprises a uniform layer of one of Ag2O ions or hydroxide ions, and oxidizing the non-zinc metal seed layer comprises allowing the non-zinc metal seed layer to naturally oxidize in ambient air for a selected amount of time to provide the oxidation layer comprising a uniform layer of the one of Ag2O or hydroxide ions;
• and
• submersing the substrate with the oxidized non-zinc metal seed layer into a growth solution at a temperature of 5° C. to 150° C., the growth solution comprising Zn+2 ions whereby the Zn+2 ions replace the one of Ag2O ions or hydroxide ions to form one or more uniform layers of ZnO nuclei from which nanowire will grow.