Nano materials

● Any material which has atleast one dimension is

in the nano meter scale ( 1-100nm) is called a
nano material
● One billion nanometer= 1 meter
● 1nm= 10^-9 m
● Nano means dwarf in Greek
● Nano chemistry deals with the synthesis and
characterisation of nanomatearial
● Father of nanotechnology: Richard Feynman
● Nano meter is extremely small
● At nano meter scale material behave differently
● We can use this new behaviour to make new
technologies
● Properties of nanostructures are different from the
bulk due to high surface area over volume ratio
○ and appearance of quantum effect
● Eg:
●
● Gold is chemically inert in normal scale, but in nano
scale it act as a catalyst
■ Aluminium at nano scale is highly combustible
■ Gold nano particle appear deep red to black
colour
■ ZnO nano particles possess UV blocking
property
○
 Classification of nano materials
based on dimensions
1. Zero dimensional nano materials
● All dimensions (X,Y,Z) are in the nano scale
● no dimension are greater than 100nm
● Eg: quantum dots,metal nano
particles,fullerenes,clusters
2.One dimensional nano material
● Two dimensions in the nano scale and one
dimension in the macro scale
● This leads to needle shaped nano materials
● Eg: carbon nano tubes,nano fibres,nano rods,
nano wires
3.Two dimensional nano materials
● One dimension in nanoscale and other two are in
macroscale
● Exhibit plate like shape
● Eg:nano films, graphenes, graphene oxide
with nano meter thickness
3.Three dimensional nano materials
● Dimensions are in macroscale
● Bulk nano materials are composed of a multiple
arrangement of nano sized crystals in a different
orientations
● Eg: graphite, bundles of nanotubes and nano
wires, composites
 Fullerenes
● Fullerenes are allotrope of carbon
● They are a class of molecules of carbon having a hollow
carbon cage structure
● Most stable form of fullerenes is Buckminster fullerene
(C60) with 60 carbon atoms arranged in a spherical
structure
● Shape of the molecule known as truncated
icosahedron which contain 12 pentagons and 20
hexagons
● It is a zero dimension nanomaterials
 Uses
● Anti viral activity and used for the treatment of
HIV infection
● Used as biological antioxidants
● Used in targeted drug delivery
● Derivatives are used as catalyst
● Used as lubricants
 Carbon nano tubes
● Allotrope of carbon which seems to be formed by
rolling a sheet of graphite ( graphene) in to
cylindrical structure having diameter of 1-100
nm
● 1-D nano material, two dimensions are in nano
scale and one dimension in macroscale
● Carbon nano tubes are tubular form of carbon
● Electrical condictivity of nano tubes are 1000
times greater than that of copper
 Structures of carbon nano
tubes
Depending upon the way in which graphite sheets are rolled
two types of CNTs are formed
● Single walled nano tubes(SWNTs)
● Multi walled nano tubes(MWNTs)
1. Single walled nano tubes
● Consist of one type of graphite
● It is one atom thick having a diameter of 2 nm and a length
of 100 micro meter
● Exhibit electrical properties
● Excellent conductor
2.Multi walled nano tubes (MWNTs)
● Consist multiple layers of graphite rodes rolled in on
themselves to form a tube shape
● It exhibit both metallic and semiconducting
properties
● It is used for storing fuels such as hydrogen and
methane
Properties of CNTs
● CNTs are very strong, withstand very extreme
strain in tension and possess elastic flexibility
● The atoms in nano tubes are continously vibrating
back and forth
● It is highly conducting and behaves like metallic or
semi conducting material
● It has very high thermal conductivity and kinetic
properties
Uses of CNTs
● It is used in battery technology and in industries
as catalyst
● Used as light weight shielding materials for
protecting electronic equipments
● Effectively used inside the body for drug delivery
● Efficient catalyst in chemical reactions
Graphene
● Graphene is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a
single layer of atom arranged in a hexagonal
lattice
● Graphene sheet can produce variety of other
nano materials including graphite, carbon nano
tubes,fullerenes
● Mother of carbon nano materials
● It is one atomic layer of graphite
● Each carbon atom in graphene is covalently
bondend to three other carbon atoms with sp2
hybridisation
 Properties
● Graphene is the thinnest material and in the same
time is the strongest material ever to be
measured
● High thermal conductivity
● High electrical conductivity
● High elasticity and high flexibility
● High hardness
 Applications
● Used in the manufacture of transistors,microchips
● Used in solar panels
● Used in anticorrosion coatings and paints
● For making flexible displays
 Nano wires
● Nano wires are nano structures with diameter in
range of nano meter
● Ratio of length to width greater than 20
● Many different types of nanowires: metallic (Ni,
Pt, Au), semiconducting( InP,Si,GaN), and
insulating (SiO2, TiO2)
● Reffered to as one dimensional material
● Also called quantum wires
 Properties
● Conductivity of nano wire is less than that of bulk
material
● It exhibit distinct optical,chemical thermal and
electrical properties
● Silicon nano wires exhibit strong
photoluminescence
Applications
● Used to prepare active electronic components
such as p-n junction and logic gates
● Digital computing
● Nano wires replace conventional copper wires
used in televisions, computers
● Silver chloride nanowires used as photocatalyst
 Quantum dots
● Quantum dots are small particles of a
semiconductor, a nano crystslline material
● Diameter ranges from 2-10 nm
● Zero dimensional
● Potential application in electronic and
optoelectronic device
● Known as artificial atoms
 Application
● Increase the storage and performance of
computers
● Cell labelling
● Cancer therapy
● LED
● Increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of
todays typical photovoltaic cell
 Synthesis of nanomaterials
Two main approaches are used for the synthesis of nano
materials
● Top-down method
● Bottom- up method
1.Top-down method
● Nano materials are synthesized by breaking down of bulk
solid in to nano sizes
● Top down process is dominant process in semi conductor
manu facturing
● Eg: ball milling,laser ablation
●
Bottom - up method
● Nano materials are synthesised by assembling
the atoms/ molecules together
● Instead of taking material away to make
structures the bottom up approach selectively
adds atoms to create structures
● Eg:chemical vapour deposition
Ball milling method

● Top down approach

● Mechanical energy is used
● Stainless steel container
● Silicon carbide or tungsten carbide balls
● Mill and powder rotating
● Nano powders of 2 to 20 nm in size can be
produced
● Size of nano powder depends speed of rotation
of balls
Sputtering method

● Also known as physical vapour deposition

method
● Atoms in the solid state ( target) are released and
passed in to the gas phase by bombardment with
energetic ions
● Vapourization occurs of a solid material by
bombarding it by ion energy
Laser ablation method
● In this method carbon is evaporated at high
temperatures from graphite target using a
powerful and focused laser beam
● As the vapourized carbon condenses nano tube
develop on the cooler surface of the oven
Chemical vapour deposition (CVD)

● Substrate is exposed to one or more volatile

precursors which react or decompose on the
substrate surface to produce desired product
● By products sre removed by carrier gas flow
through the reaction chamber
● CVD is used to produce high purity high
performance solid materials
 Applications of nano materials
1. In medicine
● Targeted drug delivery
● Reduces side effects
● Rarly diagnosis of disease
2.In electronics
● Reduced power consumption
● Less size and weight of components
● Smaller and faster processors
Paints

• Incorporating nanoparticles in paints could improve

their performance

• It can impart various functional properties like self-

cleaning.
Sunscreens and cosmetics

• Nanosized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are currently used in

some sunscreens, as they absorb and reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays.

• Transparent to visible light and so are more appealing to the

consumer.

• Nanosized iron oxide is present in some lipsticks as a pigment.

Effluent treatment

• Nano photocatalysts are much more efficient than

micro and macro photocatalysts.

• They degrade the toxic colorants and other organic

species
Food

• Nanotechnology can be applied in the production,

processing, safety and packaging of food.

• A nanocomposite coating process could improve

food packaging by placing anti-microbial agents
directly on the surface of the coated film.