Abstract
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 Hg(II) to Ag(0) drastically increases beyond the conventional Hg/Ag ratio of 0.5:1, leading to hyperstoichiometry with a maximum ratio of 1.125:1. Therein, around 99% of the initial silver is retained to rapidly form a solid amalgam with reduced mercury.