Unlocking the Potential of Metal Nano Powders

Introduction

Over the past few years, a considerable interest has been focused on metal nanoparticles due to their potential applications in diverse fields including optoelectronics, nanodevices, nanoelectronics, nano-sensors, information storage and catalysis.

Nowadays researchers are focusing on metal nanoparticles, nanostructures and nanomaterial synthesis because of their conspicuous properties that are useful for catalysis, composite like polymer preparations, disease diagnosis and treatment, sensor technology and labeling of optoelectronic recorded media.

Different physical and chemical methods such as electrochemical changes, chemical reduction, and photochemical reduction are commonly employed for the preparation and stabilization of metallic nano particles.

Let us understand metal and their nanoparticle

Metals are characterized by bright shine, solidity, ability to vibrate sound, and are excellent conductors of electricity and heat.  In addition, metals can be formed into sheets or wires. Also, they have high melting and boiling points.

The main metals in the periodic table include Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, and Zn.

Metal nanoparticles are tiny particles, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers, composed of different metals. They exhibit unique properties such as enhanced chemical reactivity, surface plasmon resonance, and size depended optical behaviour, due to their small size.

An illustration showing the Different metal based nanoparticls

The concept Behind Metallic Nanoparticles:

Scientists were able to synthesize NPs using different methods relying on the top-down approach, which includes both physical and chemical approach, and bottom-up methods, which include biological and chemical methods. As both physical and chemical methods result in environmental contamination and toxicity, biological approaches using green synthesis were found to be environmentally friendly and less toxic.

Illustration of bottom-up and top-down methods for metal nanoparticles

Metallic NPs are considered flexible nanostructures because of the ability to control their composition, shape, size, structure, encapsulation, assembly, and their optical properties during synthesis.

Illustration of synthesis of NPs using bottom-up and top-down method

APPLICATIONS OF METAL NANOPARTICLES

• Biomedical: drug delivery, cell imaging, cancer therapy, and diagnosis
• Environmental: Activated carbon filters, water disinfection, and wastewater treatments
• Food Agriculture: Food quality analysis sensors, interactive food, and food packaging
• Catalysis: Hydrogen production photocatalysts, fuel additive catalyst, and fuel cell catalyst
• Textiles: medical textiles, antistain textiles, and UV blocking textiles
• Cosmetics: Pigment
• Materials: Coatings/Paints and pigmented thermoplastics, Cooling application in modern buildings
• Electronics: Circuitry and in magnetic data storage, Sensors, photoelectronic, field emitters, solar cells, and UV lasers, Silicon solar cell applications

Fig: Application of metal nanopowder in different field

METHODS USED IN METAL NANOPARTICLES CHARACTERIZATION:

The basic properties that rely on the characterization of MNPs are optical properties, size, shape (morphology), and surface charge. Spectroscopy is used to study the optical properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray crystallography (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) are used for studying the basic molecular and chemical composition of metal NPs. Whereas SEM, TEM, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), environmental SEM (ESEM), and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) are used for imaging to study morphology and topography

FUTURE POTENTIAL OF METALLIC NANOPARTICLES

The future potential of metallic nanoparticles is vast and promising.

In medicine, they could revolutionize targeted drug delivery, cancer treatment, and diagnostics through enhanced imaging techniques.

In energy, metallic nanoparticles are poised to improve the efficiency of solar cells and fuel cells, contributing to renewable energy advancements.

Environmental applications include water purification and pollution control, where their high surface area allows for efficient absorption of contaminants.

As fabrication techniques improve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications emerge, making metallic nanoparticles integral to the development of advanced materials and technologies across industries.

As research advances, the ability to fine-tune their properties could lead to breakthroughs in fields like electronics, sensors, and even quantum computing.

CONCLUSION:

Metal NPs play a major role in nanotechnology and nanoscience. Using their metallic characteristics scientists were able to synthesize metal NPs using top-down and bottom-up approaches including physical, chemical, and biological methods. Biological methods were found to be the most environmentally friendly and least toxic methods.

Different analytical methods can be used to analyze and characterize the synthesized NPs, including, size, shape, the surface of the NP, functional groups, size distribution, aggregation, dispersion, structure, binding hydrodynamics, and confirmation to have enough information to find the proper application for these NPs or proper functionalization.

 

REFERENCE:

1. Abbai, R., et al., 2016. Green synthesis of multifunctional silver and Au nanoparticles from the oriental herbal adaptogen: Siberian ginseng. Int.
2. Ando, J., Fujita, K., 2013. Metallic nanoparticles as SERS agents for biomolecular imaging. Curr. Pharm
3. Behnam, M.A., et al., 2018. Novel combination of silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes for plasmonic photo thermal therapy in melanoma cancer model.
4. Vanden Bout, D.A., 2002. Metal nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and applications. Edited by Daniel L. Feldheim (North Carolina State University) and Colby A. Foss, Jr. (Georgetown University).
5. Castro, L., et al., 2014. Mechanism and applications of metal nanoparticles prepared by biomediated process.
6. Das, R.K., et al., 2017. Biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles: plants, animals and microbial aspects. Nanotechnol.
7. Synthesis,Characterization,and ApplicationsofMetalNanoparticles AbeerJabraShnoudeh1, IslamHamad2,RuwaidaW.Abdo1, LanaQadumii3,AbdulmutallabYousefJaber1,HibaSalim Surchi1andShahdZ.Alkelany

 

Courtesy: Reashvanth and Simran, sales executive at Ultrananotech Pvt Ltd.