|
 |
|
|
|
Colloidal Inorganic Nanoparticles
|
|
Colloidal nanoparticles are simply tiny bits (typically 2-20 nm in diameter) of a material, coated with a
stabilizer which allows them to be stably dispersed in a solvent. They are synthesized in solution from
precursors which contain the element(s) that make up the material. Typically, a surfactant molecule coats
the nanoparticles as they form, its head group sticking to the particle surface and its hydrocarbon tail
facilitating dispersion in organic solvents and preventing aggregation.
A wide range of materials can be synthesized in nanoparticle form such as metals, oxides, and
semiconductors. These materials often exhibit size and/or shape specific properties and their solution
processibility makes them ideal for integrating into media and devices. For example, magnetic
nanoparticles become superparamagnetic when very small, but slightly larger particles are ferromagnetic
and ideal for data storage applications.
Magnetic hysteresis loops for (a) 10 and (b) 15 nm diameter nanoparticles
|
|
|
|
|
|
