Formation of nano- and microstructured layers of silver during thermal destruction of polyvinyl alcohol with silver nitrate

The results of experimental study of morphology of silver nanostructures, which appear during thermal destruction of polyvinyl alcohol film with silver nitrate are presented. It is shown that during the increase of silver nitrate concentration the maximum size of the formed particles increases from tens of nanometers up to 2 $\mu$m, and their shape transforms from spherical to irregular. The growth of silver nanoparticles occurs at the expense of small silver nanoparticles migration on a substrate surface, their gathering near the large nanoparticles and confluence of small nanoparticles with larger ones.