Thermally switchable dispersions of thermochromic Ag2HgI4 nanoparticles

Thermochromic Ag(2)HgI(4) nanoparticles were prepared by rapid precipitation from aqueous solution. Stable colloids were formed by coating the particles with four different polymers, respectively. The four resulting systems of functionalised Ag(2)HgI(4) nanoparticles were characterised with respect to their polymer content (elemental analysis), particle size (dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy), optical properties in dispersion (UV spectroscopy), crystallinity (X-ray powder diffraction), and thermochromic transition temperature (differential scanning calorimetry) and also compared to the unfunctionalised bulk phase Ag(2)HgI(4). Stable dispersions with a reversible temperature-induced colour change from yellow to orange (T(trs) = 25-40 degrees C) were obtained.