Patent ID: 8304089

Claim:
A metal nanowire network comprising: a plurality of metal nanowire segments interconnected at nodes and having a shape that replicates a shape of an aqueous channel network of at least one of a micellar bicontinuous phase and a tubular inverse micelle, wherein the metal nanowire network is formed by the process of: combining a surfactant, an organic solvent, and an aqueous solution of an ionic metal reactant; forming a plurality of interconnecting aqueous channels in a network of at least one of swollen tubular inverse micelles and a micellar bicontinuous phase in an emulsion comprising the surfactant, the organic solvent, and water; extracting the ionic metal reactant into the plurality of interconnecting aqueous channels; and reducing the ionic metal reactant to an elemental metal within the plurality of aqueous channels, thereby forming a metal nanowire network.