Size-controlled synthesis of highly dispersed silver particles

Silver particles were easily synthesized in the presence of PVP by quickly adding concentrated ascorbic acid solution into the silver complex solution ([Ag(NH3)2]+). By varying the addition of organic solvents to the reaction system, it was found that highly dispersed spherical silver particles with different sizes were obtained. The effects of different kinds of silver seeds on the size-controlled synthesis of silver particles were also discussed. The as-prepared silver particles were investigated by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. A mechanism explaining the size-controlled formation of silver particles was proposed.