Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 14 TEM image of alkylamine-stabilized Ag nanoparticles. (Adapted from [
67
])
Fig. 15 TEM image of alkylamine-stabilized Pd nanoparticles. (Adapted from [
67
])
6.3.1 Stabilization of Colloidal Metal Particles in Liquids
Small metal particles are unstable with respect to agglomeration to the bulk. At
short interparticle distances, two particles would be attracted to each other by van
der Waals forces and, in the absence of repulsive forces to counteract this attraction,
an unprotected sol would coagulate. To counteract this, stabilization can be
achieved in two ways: electrostatic stabilization and steric stabilization.
Generally, gold nanoparticles have been used for most biomedical applications.
Gold nanoparticles with varying core sizes are usually prepared by the reduction of
