Engineered Nanoparticles

Background

Engineered nanoparticles are manufactured particles with one of their dimensions between 1 and 100nm. Engineered nanoparticles have been specifically manufactured for incorporation into a product or process. Examples of such particles are Titanium dioxide (see below), which is manufactured for the incorporation into cosmetic and pharmaceutical compounds due to its optical properties, carbon black (for incorporation in inks/pigments), carbon nanotubes (for strengthening components etc).

Whilst it is generally preferable to produce monodisperse nanoparticles, due to the processes used (either wet ball milling or a growth mechanism) nanoparticles manufactured in bulk will tend to have a high degree of polydispersity and therefore not be suitable for analysis by many traditional characterization techniques.

Titanium Dioxide

20 nm Gold