Metal ion redox potential plays an important role in high-yield synthesis of monodisperse silver nanoparticles

A facile method is developed to prepare monodisperse silver nanoparticles in a much enhanced yield by adding a trace amount of Fe3+ ions into the reaction of AgNO3 with oleic acid and oleylamine. We propose that Fe2+ ions speed up the nucleation and growth of silver nanoparticles due to the electron-transfer between Ag+ and Fe2+, in which Fe2+ is from Fe3+ reduced by oleylamine.