TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: In the method, the reduction occurs in the presence of at least one of a protecting agent or a polyol. Preferred Components: The second metal ion comprises at least one of an ion of international union of pure and applied chemistry (IUPAC) group 5 element, an ion of IUPAC group 6 element, or an ion of IUPAC group 8 element, preferably at least one of a vanadium ion, a tungsten ion, or a ruthenium ion. The compound comprises: at least one of a boron atom, a nitrogen atom, phosphorus atom, silicon atom, sulfur atom, selenium atom, or a carbon atom; at least one of a phosphonium salt or an organohalide; and at least one of tetraphenyl phosphonium chloride or benzyl chloride. The first reducible metal ion comprises at least of a coinage metal ion, or an ion of an IUPAC group 11 element, or a silver ion. The branched metal nanowire comprises at least two branch points. EXAMPLE - To a reaction flask (500 ml) containing propylene glycol (PG) (260 ml), polyvinylpyrrolidinone (PVP) (4.5 g) was added. The headspace of the mixture was blanketed with 0.5 ml/minute of nitrogen. The mixture was agitated at 200 rpm and heated to 110 degrees C. Stock solutions of 1M silver nitrate in PG and 19.3 mM tetraphenylphosphonium chloride in PG were also degassed with nitrogen for 60 minutes, then 24 ml syringes of each were prepared. The silver nitrate solution was added to the reaction flask at a rate of 0.2 ml/minute via a Teflon (RTM: Polytetrafluoroethylene liner) fluoropolymer syringe needle. Ten minutes after initiating the addition of the silver nitrate solution, tetraphenylphosphonium chloride solution was added at a rate of 1.2 ml/minute via a separate syringe pump commenced. A stock solution (20 ml) containing 70% aqueous nitric acid (0.8 ml), water (3 ml), and PG (balance amount) was prepared. This solution was added to the reaction mixture at a rate of 0.4 ml, with this addition commencing 78 minutes after initiating the addition of the silver nitrate solution. The reaction was allowed to continue for 3 hours to obtain branched silver nanowire product.