Composition and associated method

1. A nanoparticle forming composition, comprising:

a metal precursor comprising an inorganic ligand and a metal cation, wherein the inorganic ligand comprises silicon and a carbamate group and the metal precursor comprises a structure of formula (I)

wherein “n” is 1 or 2, X + is the metal cation, and R 1 comprises a structure of formula (II):

M a D b T c Q d R 2   (II)

wherein the subscripts “a”, “b”, “c”, and “d” are independently zero or a positive integer, and the sum of integers “a”, “b”, “c”, and “d” is greater than or equal to 1, and M has the formula:

R 3 R 4 R 5 SiO 1/2 ,  (III)

D has the formula:

R 6 R 7 SiO 2/2 ,  (IV)

T has the formula:

R 8 SiO 3/2 ,  (V)

and Q has the formula:

SiO 4/2 ,  (VI)

and R 2 is a divalent aliphatic radical having formula

(—Si(R 9 )(R 10 )—CH 2 —CH(R 11 )(R 12 ) z —,

wherein R 3 to R 10 are independently an aliphatic radical, a cycloaliphatic radical, or an aromatic radical; R 11 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic radical; R 12 is a divalent aliphatic radical, and “z” is 0 or 1; and

wherein the metal precursor responds to electromagnetic or thermal stimulus to form a metal nanoparticle.

2. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein R 1 comprises a structure of formula (IX):

MD b R 2   (IX)

wherein “b” is an integer greater than or equal to 0, M has the formula:

R 3 R 4 R 5 SiO 1/2 ,  (III)

D has the formula:

R 6 R 7 SiO 2/2 ,  (IV)

and R 2 is a divalent aliphatic radical having formula

—Si(R 9 )(R 10 )—CH 2 —CH(R 11 )(R 12 ) z —,  (VIII)

wherein R 3 to R 10 are independently an aliphatic radical, a cycloaliphatic radical, or an aromatic radical, R 11 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic radical, R 12 is a divalent aliphatic radical, and “z” is 0 or 1.

3. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the metal cation is a silver cation.

4. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor responds to thermal stimulus.

5. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 4 , wherein the thermal stimulus is insufficient to heat the composition to a temperature that is greater than about 120 degrees Celsius.

6. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 5 , wherein the inorganic ligand decomposes in response to the thermal stimulus to form an amine.

7. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 6 , wherein the amine stabilizes the surface of the metal nanoparticle.

8. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor responds to electromagnetic stimulus.

9. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 8 , wherein the electromagnetic stimulus comprises ultraviolet radiation.

10. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

additional metal precursors, each comprising an inorganic ligand and a metal cation, wherein the inorganic ligand comprises a carbamate group.

11. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 10 , wherein the additional metal precursors comprise different inorganic ligands.

12. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 10 , wherein the additional metal precursors comprises the same inorganic ligand.

13. The nanoparticle forming composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a secondary metal particle.

14. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 13 , wherein the secondary metal particle comprises copper, silver, platinum, palladium, gold, tin, indium, aluminum, or a combination thereof.

15. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 13 , wherein the metal precursor is operatively disposed relative to a surface of the secondary metal particle.

16. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 13 , further comprising a filler material.

17. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 16 , wherein the filler material is electrically conductive.

18. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 16 , wherein the filler material is thermally conductive.

19. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 16 , wherein the filler material comprises silica.

20. The nanoparticle forming composition of claim 19 , wherein the filler material comprises colloidal silica.