Nanoparticles, biological inorganic

Advanced functional inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have been studied intensively in the last couple of decades due to their unusual chemical and physical properties compared with their bulk materials, which enable them to be promising in applications as diverse as electronics,1 optics,2 optoelectronics,3 nanosensors,4 information storage,5 fuel cells,6 biomedicine,7 biological labeling,8 gene delivery,9 electrocatalysis,10 and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).11,12 For instance, metal NPs with... 

ION-ELECTROSTATIC INTERACTION IN SYSTEMS OF INORGANIC NANOPARTICLES AND BIOLOGICAL CELLS IN ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION... 

In modern nanoscience and technology (Zhu et al., 2000), the interaction between inorganic nanoparticles and biological structures are one of the most exciting areas of research. In this chapter, some of the known microbes being used in the formation of nanoparticles have been discussed and are summarized in Table 15.1. 

Where do nanoparticles occur in natural systems Where do they come from Why should we distinguish them as a special state of matter deserving a volume in the RIMG series This chapter will (1) provide examples of the types of solids that are commonly encountered as nanoparticles in natural systems, (2) detail a subset of the inorganic and biological processes that generate nanoparticles in the environment, (3) review the ways in which nanoparticle stability and reactivity are modified as a consequence of their particle size in order to lay the foundation for consideration of the role of nanoparticles in natural processes and (4) consider some opportunities for future work on nanoparticles in geological systems. 

Pathways that produce abundant nanoparticles tend to involve geochemical processes that generate high degrees of supersaturation, leading to production of very many crystal nuclei. Supersaturation can occur as the result of inorganic or biological processes. 

Size-dependent structure and properties of Earth materials impact the geological processes they participate in. This topic has not been fully explored to date. Chapters in this volume contain descriptions of the inorganic and biological processes by which nanoparticles form, information about the distribution of nanoparticles in the atmosphere, aqueous environments, and soils, discussion of the impact of size on nanoparticle structure, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics, consideration of the nature of the smallest nanoparticles and molecular clusters, pathways for crystal growth and colloid formation, analysis of the size-dependence of phase stability and magnetic properties, and descriptions of methods for the study of nanoparticles. These questions are explored through both theoretical and experimental approaches. 

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