nanoPlattform -Reference nanomaterials, reference procedures, reference data

Nano reference materials

Available certified nano reference materials are usually idealised nanomaterials, i.e. materials which are optimally spherical, have a uniform size and consist of only one material. These ideal nanoparticles are easy to characterise and are often used for calibration purposes. However, most nanomaterials do not usually have ideal properties. It is a major goal of the nanoPlattform project to provide approximately real nanoparticles, especially non-spherical nanoparticles with well-defined surface properties.

Nano reference methods

Many methods for characterising nanomaterials are well established. However, many nanomaterials often have one or more properties that complicate the application of certain methods or completely prevent the application of a method. These properties include, for example, agglomeration behaviour, porosity and materials that are not detectable for a measurement method or will be influenced by the measurement method. For example, radiation damage in the electron microscope is often negligible for particles in the µm range, whereas in the nanometer range this can result in a significant change of the material.

The aim of the nanoPlattform project is to combine the measurement methods with the corresponding methods for sample preparation, while also clearly addressing the limitations of each method.

Nano reference data

Reproducible data sets and referenceable algorithms and operating procedures are considered reference data. Reference data can be made available in a variety of ways. However, this is not the focus of the nanoPlattform project. The project developes the process of creating quality-assured reference data. Reference data of nanomaterials are usually based on reference materials that have been characterised with reference methods. The aim of the project is to create automated processes to generate well-documented reproducible and quality-assured reference data. For this purpose, the characterisation results must be stored permanently and also versioned as reference data, e.g. in form of standard operating procedures. This reliable acquisition, storage and conflation of data is being conceived within the framework of the nanoPlattform project and established as a process at BAM.

First results

New reference material: iron oxide nanocubes

The first reference material from the nanoPlattform project has passed the homogeneity tests and is expected to be available as a reference material in the BAM webshop in mid-2022. The particles consist of iron oxide, are cubic and have an edge length of approx. 8 nm. The exact data will be listed in the certificate.

Algorithm for the automatic marking of nanoparticles on electron microscope images

A first draft of an algorithm for the automatic labelling of particles on electron microscope images has been created and is being continuously developed. The algorithm uses artificial intelligence (artificial neural networks) to autonomously recognise the nanoparticles on the image and can automatically evaluate the following parameters for cubic nanoparticles, for example:

• Minimum Feret diameter
• Shortest edge
• Longest edge
• Aspect ratio
• Equivalent cross-sectional area of a particle
• Circumference of a particle
• Proportion of incomplete particles
• Shape factors
• Size distribution
• The algorithm is under continuous development and is available on BAM's Git server

Partners

The following BAM divisions contribute to the project:

Inorganic Trace Analysis: spICP-MS -- Single particle mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma 
Biophotonics: PTA -- Particle Tracking Analysis, NTA -- Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, AFM -- Atomic Force Microscopy 
Structure Analysis: DLS -- Dynamic Light Scattering, SAXS -- Small Angle X-ray Scattering 
Materials and Air Pollutants: characterisation process, DMAS -- Differential Mobility Analysis System 
Materialography, Fractography and Ageing of Engineered Materials: TEM -- Transmission Electron Microscopy 
Advanced Technical Ceramics: dispersion methods, CLS -- Centrifugal Liquid Sedimentation Analysis, DLS -- Dynamic Light Scattering, VSSA -- Volume Specific Surface Area 
Surface Analysis and Interfacial Chemistry: SEM -- Scanning Electron Microscopy , XPS -- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Synthesis and Scattering of Nanostructured Materials: SAXS -- Small Angle X-ray Scattering 
Tribology and Wear Protection: AFM -- Atomic Force Microscopy

Funding

The project is funded by BAM.

Find further information on nanotechnology on Centre of Competence AdvancedMaterials@BAM