ZeroDnanomaterials 1

Importance of Nanomaterials
• Nanostructures and nanomaterials possess a large

fraction of surface atoms per unit volume. The ratio of
surface atoms to interior atoms changes dramatically if
one successively divides a macroscopic object into
smaller parts.
• For instance, for a cube of iron of 1 cm3, the percentage
of surface atoms would be only 10-5% When the cube is
divided into smaller cubes with an edge of 10 nm, the
percentage of the surface atoms would increase to 10%.
In a cube of iron of 1 nm3, every atom would be a
surface atom.
Classification of Nanomaterials
a) 0D spheres and clusters, b) 1D nanofibres, wires, and rods, c) 2D films, plates, and
networks, d) 3D nanomaterials
Zero Dimensional Nano-
Structures: Nanoparticles
Synthesis of Nanoparticles
Synthesis Methods Schematic
Bottom Up Approach
• Bottom-up approaches are far more popular in the synthesis

of nanoparticles and many methods have been developed.
• For example, nanoparticles are synthesized by
homogeneous nucleation from liquid or vapor, or by
heterogeneous nucleation on substrates.
• Nanoparticles or quantum dots can also be prepared by
phase segregation through annealing appropriately designed
solid materials at elevated temperatures.
• Nanoparticles can be synthesized by confining chemical
reactions, nucleation and growth processes in a small space.
Desirable characteristics of Nano-
Particles
• (i) identical size of all particles (also called monosized
or with uniform size distribution),
• (ii) identical shape or morphology,
• (iii) identical chemical composition and crystal
structure that are desired among different particles
and within individual particles, such as core and
surface composition must be the same, and
• (iv) individually dispersed or monodispersed, i.e. no
agglomeration. If agglomeration does occur,
nanoparticles should be readily redispersible.
Nanoparticle morphologies
• Nanoparticles include single crystal,

polycrystalline and amorphous particles with
all possible morphologies, such as spheres,
cubes and platelets.
• In general, the characteristic dimension of the
particles is not larger than several hundred
nanometers, mostly less than a couple of
hundred nanometers.
Nanoparticle morphologies
• Some other terminologies are commonly used in

the literature to describe some specific subgroups
of nanoparticles.
• If the nanoparticles are single crystalline, they are
often referred to as nanocrystals.
• When the characteristic dimension of the
nanoparticles is sufficiently small and quantum
effects are observed, quantum dots are the
common term used to describe such nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles via Homogeneous
Nucleation
• For the formation of nanoparticles by
homogeneous nucleation, a supersaturation of
growth species must be created.
• A reduction in temperature of an equilibrium
mixture, such as a saturated solution would lead
to supersaturation.
• Formation of metal quantum dots in glass matrix
by annealing at moderate temperatures is a good
example of this approach.
Continued…
• Another method is to generate a supersaturation
through in situ chemical reactions by converting highly
soluble chemicals into less soluble chemicals.
• For example, semiconductor nanoparticles are
commonly produced by pyrolysis of organometallic
precursors.
• Nanoparticles can be synthesized through
homogeneous nucleation in three mediums: liquid, gas
and solid; however, the fundamentals of nucleation and
subsequent growth processes are essentially the same.
Fundamentals of homogeneous nucleation
• When the concentration of a solute in a solvent

exceeds its equilibrium solubility or temperature
decreases below the phase transformation point, a
new phase appears. Let us consider the case of
homogeneous nucleation of a solid phase from a
supersaturated solution, as an example.
• A solution with solute exceeding the solubility or
supersaturation possesses a high Gibbs free energy;
the overall energy of the system would be reduced
by segregating solute from the solution.
Continued…
• Figure 3.1 is a schematic showing the reduction of the overall
Gibbs free energy of a supersaturated solution by forming a
solid phase and maintaining an equilibrium concentration in
the solution.
Continued…
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Importance of Nanomaterials

• Nanostructures and nanomaterials possess a large

• Bottom-up approaches are far more popular in the synthesis

• Nanoparticles include single crystal,

• Some other terminologies are commonly used in

• When the concentration of a solute in a solvent

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