INL, Creating value at nanoscale

Nanomachines & Nanomanipulation Design and Synthesis of Unconventional Magnetic Nanoparticles and Core-Shell Nanostructures

Depending on size, composition, structure and properties, magnetic nanoparticles have demonstrated a diverse range of useful applications from imaging, diagnostic, hyperthermia, separation, delivery to catalysis. In our work we focus on colloidal iron oxide and iron oxide-based core-shell nanostructures. Our goal is to derive functional magnetic nanomaterials exhibiting high saturation magnetization, required for different numerous applications.

We first plan to develop convenient and cheap synthesis of monodisperse and phase-pure iron oxide nanocrystals with tailored size of the particles, chemical composition and stoichiometry. Importantly, this method should account for a large-scale production. Further, detailed studies on well-characterized magnetic nanoparticles will be realized to deduce control over core-shell formation of the materials with respect to the chemical stability and surface functionality. In parallel, the decoration of engineered magnetic nanomaterials with optically or catalytically active phases will be addressed. Our studies will also largely challenge fundamental aspects of the system, in particular, finite-size effects, doping, assembly and bonding of surface reactive groups. At the final stages of the project, the use of synthesized colloidal nanomaterials in numerous catalytic and nanomedical applications will be explored