abstract

• In this work, using a simple templateless, surfactantless, chemical reduction method, we synthesized micron-sized silver particles with different sizes and morphologies by simply changing the reaction conditions, specifically, the amount of ascorbic acid added to a silver nitrate aqueous solution, the Ag%2b:Ascorbic Acid molar ratios used were 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. The morphologies obtained were polyhedrons and dendrites. The sizes of the particles ranged from 1.5 μm to 15 μm. The principal driven force which produces the changes in the morphology of the Ag particles could be the variations in the electrochemical potential aroused from the changes in the amount of ascorbic acid used in the reaction. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.