Silver crystals through Tollen's reaction

A method of forming discrete regular-shaped three-dimensional silver crystals comprising the sequential steps of:

• establishing a plurality of nanoparticles, further comprising the steps of
• providing a substrate;
• mixing a predetermined amount of Tollen's reagent having an original Ag+ concentration of 5% with a first reduction agent at a first time point forming a complex at room temperature;
• placing the complex on the substrate at room temperature;
• forming discrete three dimensional crystals, further comprising;
• contacting the complex with the second reduction agent at about 1 minute after the complex is placed on the substrate at room temperature by gradually adding a separate amount of a second reduction agent to the complex at a second timepoint after formation of the complex wherein the final mole ratio of reducing agent to Ag+ is about 1:4;
• and
• heating the substrate between room temperature and a maximum of about 40° C. for between about 5 and 30 minutes without agitation to form discrete three-dimensional crystals between 50 nm and 5 μm in size.