title: Chloride-induced shape transformation of silver nanoparticles in a water environment.
abstract: The effects of chloride on dissolution and toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been well studied. However, their intermediate shapes during the transition have not been illustrated to-date. Herein, the chloride-induced shape transformation process of AgNPs under long-term, low-concentration conditions is explored. A unique triangular Ag-AgCl heterostructure is observed. The structure then evolves into a symmetric hexapod and finally into a smaller AgNP. This transformation process could be affected by other environmental conditions, such as 0.4 mg/mL humic acid, 5% surfactants and 1 mg/mL bovine serum albumin protein. Our results offer new knowledge regarding the shape transformation process of AgNPs in the presence of chloride, which can be valuable in relevant studies concerning the effect of water chemistry on the behavior of AgNPs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical Biology and Agriculture Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, PR China; Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Center of Advanced Nanocatalysis (CAN-USTC) & Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, PR China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical Biology and Agriculture Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Center of Advanced Nanocatalysis (CAN-USTC) & Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, PR China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical Biology and Agriculture Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, PR China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical Biology and Agriculture Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, PR China. Electronic address: zly0605@ustc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Liyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Center of Advanced Nanocatalysis (CAN-USTC) & Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012834:Silver
keywords: Chloride; Environmental transformation; Heterostructure; Silver nanoparticles; Water environments