Article | REF: NM8015 V1

Analytic challenges related to nanomaterials

Authors: Isabelle LE HECHO, Martine POTIN-GAUTIER, Gaëtane LESPES

Publication date: October 10, 2010

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ABSTRACT

Due to their physico-chemical characteristics and their size which provide them with unique properties, nanomaterials are of considerable interest to scientists. The evolution of tools for the observation and analysis of matter has allowed for its study at the nanoscale. Nanomaterials refer to objects with a dimension of between 1 and 100 nanometers. Due to their size, these particles often have a large specific surface area which induces specific bio-physico-chemical properties and also a particular reactivity and mobility. This article deals with these particles and commences by presenting the interest of their study. Certain examples of applications, natural or not, are then presented. To conclude, the prospects for future development are discussed.

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AUTHORS

  • Isabelle LE HECHO: Senior Lecturer - Université de Pau et des pays de l'Adour/CNRS, LCABIE, IPREM UMR 5254, Pau

  • Martine POTIN-GAUTIER: Professor - Université de Pau et des pays de l'Adour/CNRS, LCABIE, IPREM UMR 5254, Pau

  • Gaëtane LESPES: Professor - Université de Pau et des pays de l'Adour/CNRS, LCABIE, IPREM UMR 5254, Pau

 INTRODUCTION

Summary:

Colloidal systems refer to particles dispersed in a liquid phase. Their remarkable properties of stability and/or color have aroused the curiosity of alchemists for centuries, who have developed numerous preparations in fields as varied as metallurgy and medicine. However, the term colloid was first used in 1861 by British chemist Thomas Graham, who characterized the dispersion of fine gold particles responsible for the coloring of certain artificial rubies. . The first observation of colloidal systems was made in 1903 by the Austro-Hungarian chemist Richard Zsigmondy . This chemist designed the first ultra-microscope to observe particles smaller than 400 nm dispersed in an aqueous medium. More recently, in the second half of the twentieth century, scientists pursued their investigations with ever more powerful means such as electron microscopy. This made it possible to explore matter and particles on a nanometric scale.

Today, nanomaterials are attracting more scientific interest than ever, thanks to their size and physico-chemical properties. They are now at the heart of what some scientists have no hesitation in describing as a technological revolution. . In this context, the stakes associated with investigative tools are extremely high. To understand and control matter, we need to be able to observe it in great detail. This requires high-performance techniques not only in terms of size resolution, but also in terms of precision, data acquisition speed, and the relevance and complementarity of the data acquired. Cutting-edge analytical developments are a response to these requirements, as well as to the needs expressed in fields as varied as biopharmaceuticals, medicine, electronics, energy and the environment.

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