Nanoparticle
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Nanomaterials
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Nanotechnology
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In nanotechnology, a particle is defined as a small object that behaves as a whole unit in terms of its transport and properties. It is further classified according to size: In terms of diameter, fine particles cover a range between 100 and 2500 nanometers, while ultrafine particles, on the other hand, are sized between 1 and 100 nanometers. Similarly to ultrafine particles, nanoparticles are sized between 1 and 100 nanometers, though the size limitation can be restricted to two dimensions. Nanoparticles may or may not exhibit size-related intensive properties that differ significantly from those observed in fine particles or bulk materials.[1]
Nanoclusters[2] have at least one dimension between 1 and 10 nanometers and a narrow size distribution. Nanopowders[2] are agglomerates of ultrafine particles, nanoparticles, or nanoclusters. Nanometer sized single crystals, or single-domain ultrafine particles, are often referred to as nanocrystals. The term NanoCrystal® is a registered trademark[3] of Elan Pharma International (EPIL) used in relation to EPILs proprietary milling process and nanoparticulate drug formulations.
Nanoparticle research is currently an area of intense scientific research, due to a wide variety of potential applications in biomedical, optical, and electronic fields. The National Nanotechnology Initiative has led to generous public funding for nanoparticle research in the United States.
