Silver-containing non-aqueous composition containing cellulosic polymers

A non-aqueous silver precursor composition consisting essentially of:

• (a) one or more polymers selected from one or more of cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate trimellitate, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose phthalate, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose;
• (b) reducible silver ions that are present at a weight ratio to the one or more (a) polymers of at least 5:1 and up to and including 50:1;
• (c) one or more organic solvents, each of which has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 100° C. and up to but less than 500° C.,wherein the Hansen parameter (δTPolymer) of each of the one or more polymers is less than or equal to the Hansen parameter (δTSolvent) of each of the one or more organic solvents;
• and
• (d) a nitrogenous base having a pKa in acetonitrile of at least 15 and up to and including 25 at 25° C., the (d) nitrogenous base being present in an equimolar amount or molar excess in relation to the amount of (b) reducible silver ions.