Template-free fabrication and morphology regulation of Ag@carbon composite structure

Ag-carbon composite materials were prepared without any template by hydrothermal carbonization of solvable starch. The composite materials are composed of Ag cores and carbonaceous shell to form a core-shell (Ag@carbon) structure. During the hydrothermal carbonization process, the aromatization and carbonization of solvable starch endowed the Ag@carbon composite structure with abundant aromatic, hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. The AgNO₃ concentration and HTC reaction time are two important factors for regulating the size, morphology and functional groups of the composite material. With the increasing of AgNO₃ concentration, morphologies of the composite material turned from spheres to wires.