%0 Journal Article
%T In Situ Imaging of Ion Motion in a Single Nanoparticle: Structural Transformations in Selenium Nanoparticles.
%A Chen BB
%A Liu ML
%A Zou HY
%A Liu Y
%A Li YF
%A Swihart MT
%A Huang CZ
%J Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
%V 0
%N 0
%D Aug 2022 25
%M 36006774
%F 16.823
%R 10.1002/anie.202210313
%X Intraparticle ion motions are critical to the structure and properties of nanomaterials, but rarely disclosed. Herein, in situ visualization of ion motions in a single nanoparticle is presented by dark-field microscopy imaging, which shows HgCl2 -induced structural transformation of amorphous selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with the main composition of Se8 . Owing to the high binding affinity with selenium and coulomb interactions, Hg2+ ions can permeate into the interior of SeNPs, making the amorphous Se8 turn to polycrystalline Hg3 Se2 Cl2 . As a proof of concept, SeNPs then serve as a highly effective scavenger for selective removal of Hg2+ ions from solution. This new finding offers visual proof for the photophysical process involving intraparticle ion motion, demonstrating that tracking the ion motions is a novel strategy to comprehend the formation mechanism with the purpose of developing new nanostructures like nanoalloys and nano metal compounds.