Silver nanoparticles from metallic silver electrochemical synthesis-polyol reduction.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) possess unique physicochemical properties, making them valuable in various applications. The polyol reduction (PR) method is a prominent approach for synthesizing Ag NPs. However, traditional PR methods rely on Ag compounds like AgNO as feedstock to prepare precursor solution, which increases production time and costs. This study introduces a streamlined, eco-friendly technique to Ag NP synthesis PR. Low-cost metallic Ag serves as a feedstock, and electrochemical synthesis (ES) is employed to dissolve the metallic Ag in ethylene glycol (EG), generating a precursor solution for PR. Additives are added into the precursor solution, which is then heated to synthesize Ag NPs. By utilizing the additives and the temperature-dependent reducibility of EG, Ag nanowires and purified Ag NPs are synthesized from pure and crude-Ag precursors, respectively. The ES-PR method retains the advantages of the PR method while eliminating the need for Ag compounds in precursor preparation. Additionally, H gas is produced as a byproduct, offering further benefits. The ES-PR method has the potential to significantly simplify the synthesis of Ag NPs PR, facilitating the broader application of Ag NPs.