Hyperstoichiometric interaction between silver and mercury at the nanoscale.

Breaking through the stoichiometry barrier: As the diameter of silver particles is decreased below a critical size of 32?nm, the molar ratio of aqueous HgII to Ag0 drastically increases beyond the conventional Hg/Ag ratio of 0.5:1, leading to hyperstoichiometry with a maximum ratio of 1.125:1 (see figure). Therein, around 99?% of the initial silver is retained to rapidly form a solid amalgam with reduced mercury.