Metal‐halide Nanoparticle Formation: Electrolytic and Chemical Synthesis of Mercury(I) Chloride Nanoparticles

Abstract

Abstract Mercury(I) chloride (Hg 2 Cl 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesised for the first time by using two different techniques. First, particles are formed by implosion of a calomel nanolayer, induced by partial electrolysis at a mercury hemisphere microelectrode. The resulting NPs are then characterised by the nanoimpact method, demonstrating the first time metal chloride NPs have been sized by this technique and showing the ability to form and study NPs in situ. Second, Hg 2 Cl 2 NPs are synthesised by using the precipitation reaction of Hg 2 (NO 3 ) 2 with KCl. The NPs are characterised on both mercury and carbon microelectrodes and their size is found to agree with TEM results.