Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Nanoparticles: Definition, Classification
and General Physical Properties
Nicolae Strambeanu, Laurentiu Demetrovici, Dan Dragos,
and Mihai Lungu
Abstract This introductory chapter gives relevant historical information about
nanoparticles and the attempts to define the nanoparticle size (1-1,000 nm), as
well as their most important general properties, which vary with size: surface area,
optical properties, uniformity, fictionalisation, quantum confinement and other
fractal-type characteristics.
1.1 General Overview
Nanoparticles are considered a discovery of the twentieth century, but a brief
overview of the field reveals that artisans in Mesopotamia used finely divided
materials of this type as early as the ninth century BC, to obtain a glittering effect
on the surface of ceramic vessels.
In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the production of glittering metallic
films led to methods of covering glassy surfaces developed in various Far Eastern or
European centres which became famous thanks to these methods that are largely
employed even today.
During the Renaissance and in later times, the development of visual arts
(painting in particular) and printing and engraving methods contributed to the
technique of producing fine inorganic and organic dust particles, close to
nanoparticles in size, and dispersions that were stable in different solvents and
used as dyes or ink [
1
].
