Science Snippet: Zooming In on Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles come in many different shapes and configurations. Credit: Adapted from Stevens, et. al., under Creative Commons License 4.0. Nanoparticles may sound like gadgets from a science fiction movie, but they exist in real life. They’re particles of any material that are less than 100 nanometers (one-billionth of a meter) in all dimensions. Nanoparticles appear in nature, and humans have, mostly unknowingly, used them since ancient times. For example, hair dyeing in ancient Egypt involved lead sulfite nanoparticles, and artisans in the Middle Ages added gold and silver nanoparticles to stained-glass windows. Over the past several decades, researchers have studied nanoparticles for their potential uses in many fields, from computer engineering to biology. A nanoparticle’s properties can differ significantly from those of larger pieces of the same material. Properties that may change include: Strength Chemical reactivity Heat or electrical conductivity Reflectiveness Color Magnetism Scientists can fine-tune these properties by adjusting the size of the particles. Biomedical Benefits Nanoparticles caught the interest of biomedical scientists in part because many cell components are nanoscale in size. For example, DNA is about 2 nanometers wide, and the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout our bodies is roughly 5.5 nanometers wide. A human hair is massive in comparison, with a width of about 80,000 to 100,000 na...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Tools and Techniques Cool Tools/Techniques Cool Videos Medicines Science Snippet Source Type: blogs