Patent ID: 9581590
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: B22F,C12Q,C23C,G01N

Claim:
1. A method for forming reduced metal nanoparticles, the method comprising: (a) providing an aqueous medium, the aqueous medium comprising (i) water and (ii) metal ions in solution in the water; and (b) reducing the metal ions in the aqueous medium at a neutral or alkaline pH value in the presence of at least one of a linear and a branched carbohydrate capping agent for a time sufficient to form a plurality of reduced metal nanoparticles as a suspension stabilized in the aqueous medium with the carbohydrate capping agent adsorbed on outer surfaces of the reduced metal nanoparticles; wherein the carbohydrate capping agent is present in the aqueous medium prior to reaction at a concentration ranging from 1 g/L to 100 g/L.