Gradients of nanoparticles

2002/07/23 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Materialak
• Nanoteknologia

It is the first time that a controlled distribution of this type of small particles is made. It can be considered an important step in the field of materials, structures that, according to scientists, can have multiple applications in electronics, chemistry and life sciences.

This new material has been produced by the State University of North Carolina. To do this, they have introduced very special organic compounds on a silica surface, molecules with silicon atoms in the form of a head tail. They put the head of these molecules in silica skin and left the tails outside to perform the key work. The nanoparticles have been emitted in gaseous phase in vertical position, with which a gradient of nanoparticles is obtained, being the highest part of the skin "populated". The result has been analyzed using the microscope of atomic forces.

In this type of surfaces, molecules of affinity specific with nanoparticles can be trapped and provoke reactions in them.