Advanced Materials, Vol.20, No.5, 1000-1000, 2008
Trapping metalic liquid mercury in a carbon shell by the decomposition of dimethyl mercury
An efficient single-step synthesis of mercury droplets covered with a carbon shell by the thermolysis of dimethyl mercury under its autogenic pressure is described. This is a unique case in which a liquid metal is trapped inside a nano- and micrometer size carbon capsule. The air-stability and the characterization by XRD, TEM, DSC, HRSEM, and HRTEM of this composite are reported.