Large-scale and size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles under microwave irradiation

Large-scale and size-controlled silver nanoparticles can be rapidly prepared under microwave irradiation from an aqueous solution of silver nitrate and trisodium citrate in the presence of formaldehyde as a reductant. The size and size distribution of the resulting silver nanoparticles prepared under microwave irradiation are strongly dependent on the states of silver cations in the initial reaction solution. The formation of silver citrate in the initial reaction solution allows for yielding silver nanoparticles with a small size.