Analytic challenges related to nanomaterials

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.