A facile label-free colorimetric sensor for Hg2+ based on Hg-triangular silver nanoplates with amalgam-like structure

- We present a simple, label-free, and rapid method for sensing Hg2+.
- This method avoided tedious surface modification of AgNPs.
- Hg2+ was spontaneously reduced on the AgNP surface to form Hg-Ag alloys.
- The detection limit of the colorimetric assay is down to 50 nM.