Methylviologen mediated electrochemical reduction of AgCl—A new route to produce a silica core/Ag shell nanocomposite material in solution

•Methylviologen mediated electroreduction of AgCl precipitate to Ag0 was realized.•Electroreduction was carried out at potentials of MV2 +/MV•+ redox couple.•Alkylamino-modified silica NPs (SiO2-NHR) stabilize metal NPs in an aqueous medium.•The main products of reduction are spherical SiO2-NHR/Ag core/shell NPs in solution.•The size of SiO2-NHR/Ag core/shell NPs is120–160 nm.

Methylviologen mediated electrochemical reduction of AgCl precipitate to Ag0 in the presence of alkylamino-modified silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NHR) in an aqueous medium was performed. The main products of reduction at potentials of the MV2 +/MV•+ redox couple are spherical SiO2-NHR/Ag core/shell nanoparticles (size range 120–160 nm) in solution.

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