Morphology control of silver nano-crystals through a polyol synthesis

► Silver nano-crystals in the forms of nanowires and triangular nanoplates were successfully synthesized through a polyol synthesis. ► By adjusting the concentration of HNO3, the morphologies of the silver crystals changed from wire to triangular nanoplates and then to nanoparticles. ► It is confirmed that the selective etching of HNO3 for the twined crystals occurred at the early stage of crystal formation, inducing transformation from the thermodynamically favorable nanowires to triangular nanoplates.