The regulation of engineered nanoparticles requires a widely agreed definition of such particles. Nanoparticles are routinely defined as particles with sizes between about 1 and 100 nm that show properties that are not found in bulk samples of the same material. Here we argue that evidence for novel size-dependent properties alone, rather than particle size, should be the primary criterion in any definition of nanoparticles when making decisions about their regulation for environmental, health and safety reasons. We review the size-dependent properties of a variety of inorganic nanoparticles and find that particles larger than about 30 nm do not in general show properties that would require regulatory scrutiny beyond that required for their bulk counterparts.

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Towards a definition of inorganic nanoparticles from an environmental, health and safety perspective

Surface studies of supported model catalysts

The mean diameter of monodispersed Pd nanoparticles could be controlled from 17 to 30 A in a one-step reaction by changing the amount of protective polymer, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and the kind and/or the concentration of alcohol in the solvent. Although increasing the amount of protective polymer made the size of Pd nanoparticles smaller, the particle size appeared to have a lower limit determined by the kind of alcohol. On the other hand, monodispersed Pd nanoparticles of smaller diameter were obtained in the order methanol > ethanol > 1-propanol, indicating that a faster reduction rate of [PdCl4]2- ions is an important factor to produce the smaller particles. The particle diameter showed a minimum at around 40 vol % of alcohol in solvent. Once the monodispersed Pd nanoparticles were obtained, the larger particles with a narrow size distribution could be easily synthesized by using the stepwise growth reaction. The Pd nanoparticles obtained here had fcc structures like that of bulk Pd, althoug...

Size Control of Palladium Nanoparticles and Their Crystal Structures

Size dependence of nanostructures: Impact of bond order deficiency

Self‐consistent density functional calculations for the adsorption of O and CO on flat and stepped Au(111) surfaces are used to investigate effects which may increase the reactivity of Au. We find that the adsorption energy does not depend on the number of Au layers if there are more than two layers. Steps are found to bind considerably stronger than the (111) terraces, and an expansive strain has the same effect. On this basis we suggest that the unusually large catalytic activity of highly‐dispersed Au particles may in part be due to high step densities on the small particles and/or strain effects due to the mismatch at the Au–support interface.

Making gold less noble

Small palladium particles with mean diameters ranging from 1.4 to 5 nm have been prepared within a plasma polymer matrix from a vinyltrimethylsilane monomer. Electron diffraction has shown a decrease of the Pd lattice parameter with decreasing size of palladium cluster. These experimental data are used to deduce the value of the surface stress coefficient f=6.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9 N/m. A contraction of the lattice constant of small palladium particles with decreasing of cluster size, to our best knowledge, has not been reported in the literature up to now. The results suggest that the dilatation of the Pd lattice constant, often reported in the literature, can be explained in terms of incorporation of impurities like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, or pseudomorphism in the case of crystalline supports.

Stefan Wetjen

Papers

Size dependence of the lattice parameter of small palladium particles

Metal Clusters in Plasma Polymer Matrixes: Gold Clusters

A novel technique for the preparation of metal clusters in dielectric matrices

Metal Clusters in Plasma Polymer Matrices: Gold Clusters.

A Novel Technique for the Preparation of Metal Clusters in Dielectric Matrices.