Spontaneous formation of highly dispersed spheroidal metallic silver nanoparticles in surfactant-free N,N-dimethylacetamide

► This work shows the preparation of highly dispersed spheroidal silver nanoparticles. ► The reaction was carried out in surfactant-free N,N-dimethylacetamide solution. The nanoparticles average size is smaller than that obtained in N,N-dimethyformamide. ► N,N-Dimethyformamide interacts more weakly with Ag(I) than does N,N-dimethylacetamide. ► The chemical interactions strengths have implications on nanoparticles stabilization.