Nanoparticle Engineering, Production, Assembly, and Characterization
Physical Measurement Laboratory, Nanoscale Device Characterization Division
NIST only participates in the February and August reviews.
Photonic and magnetic nanoparticles have shown great potential in a wide range of applications such as catalysis, information storage, energy, and medicine. Our research program focuses on engineering these nanoparticles with desired physical and chemical properties and specified functionality through wet-chemistry synthesis. We are particularly interested in engineering photonic nanoparticles such as gold, silver, and copper with novel optical properties and magnetic nanoparticles such as iron and cobalt, and then exploring their biological applications through optical spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. Their physico-chemical properties are being studied specifically for their relevance to nanoparticle/EHS (environment/health/safety) applications and toxicology. Synthesis, assembly, characterization, and application of nano-engineered materials are all critical components of the program. A wide variety of tools are available for this effort, including HR-TEM, SEM, UV-VIS, SQUID, and SERS.