Electroconductive　poly(N-butylaniline)-lignosulfonate　(PBA-LS)　composite　nanospheres　were　prepared　in　a　facile　way　by　in　situ,　unstirred　polymerization　of　N-butylaniline　with　lignosulfonate　(LS)　as　a　dispersant　and　dopant.　The　LS　content　was　used　to　optimize　the　size,　structure,　electroconductivity,　solubility,　and　silver　ion　adsorptive　capacity　of　the　PBA-LS　nanospheres.　Uniform　PBA-LS10　nanospheres　with　a　minimal　mean　diameter　of　375nm　and　high　stability　were　obtained　when　the　LS　content　was　10wt　%.　The　PBA-LS10　nanospheres　possess　an　increased　electroconductivity　of　0.109S　cm-1　compared　with　that　of　poly(N-butylaniline)　(0.0751S　cm-1).　Furthermore,　the　PBA-LS10　nanospheres　have　a　maximal　silver-ion　sorption　capacity　of　815.0mg　g-1　at　an　initial　silver　ion　concentration　of　50mmol　L-1　(25　°C　for　48h),　an　enhancement　of　70.4　%　compared　with　PBA.　Moreover,　a　sorption　mechanism　of　silver　ions　on　the　PBA-LS10　nanospheres　is　proposed.　TEM　and　wide-angle　X-ray　diffraction　results　showed　that　silver　nanoparticles　with　a　diameter　size　range　of　6.8-55nm　was　achieved　after　sorption,　indicating　that　the　PBA-LS10　nanospheres　had　high　reductibility　for　silver　ions.　Silver　nanospheres:　Lignosulfonate　(LS)　as　a　dispersant　has　been　exploited　to　generate　poly(N-butylaniline)-LS　composite　nanospheres　with　controllable　size　and　silver-ion　adsorptivity　(see　figure).　The　non-monotonic　variation　of　the　silver-ion　adsorption　capacity　with　LS　content　indicates　the　existence　of　a　synergistic　effect　of　the　functional　groups　on　the　composite　chains.　©　2012　Wiley-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim.