The Role of Nanoanalytics in the Development of Organic-Inorganic Nanohybrids-Seeing Nanomaterials as They Are.

Daria Semenova,Yuliya E Silina

doi:10.3390/nano9121673

Abstract

The functional properties of organic-inorganic (O-I) hybrids can be easily tuned by combining system components and parameters, making this class of novel nanomaterials a crucial element in various application fields. Unfortunately, the manufacturing of organic-inorganic nanohybrids still suffers from mechanical instability and insufficient synthesis reproducibility. The control of the composition and structure of nanosurfaces themselves is a specific analytical challenge and plays an important role in the future reproducibility of hybrid nanomaterials surface properties and response. Therefore, appropriate and sufficient analytical methodologies and technical guidance for control of their synthesis, characterization and standardization of the final product quality at the nanoscale level should be established. In this review, we summarize and compare the analytical merit of the modern analytical methods, viz. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), RAMAN spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and several mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, that is, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), single particle ICP-MS (sp-ICP-MS), laser ablation coupled ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) utilized for characterization of O-I nanohybrids. Special attention is given to laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) as a reliable nanoanalytical platform for characterization of O-I hybrid nanomaterials, their quality, design verification and validation.

Highlights

Analytical chemistry devoted to nano-sized objects has developed considerably over the last decade
Regardless of the class of nanohybrids, they can be prepared in several ways (Figure 4)—by conventional sol-gel chemistry or by hydro- and solvothermal synthesis (Route A); via hybridization of well-defined nanobuilding blocks (NBBs)/assemblies of preformed monodispersed nano-objects (Route B); by self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules and polymers to generate supramolecular templates and to control the texture and morphology of the growing solid or gel phase (Route C) and by means of several tandem methods (Route D)
It is clear that none of the existing analytical methodologies or tools can be used as a universal one for the general characterization and quantification of O-I nanohybrids. In this regard, following the results demonstrated by way of LDI-mass spectrometry (MS), the general workflow towards final nano-based products design and quality characterization can be proposed, which in principle can become a crucial platform for the screening and standardization of O-I nanohybrids

Summary

Introduction

Analytical chemistry devoted to nano-sized objects has developed considerably over the last decade. Regardless of the class of nanohybrids, they can be prepared in several ways (Figure 4)—by conventional sol-gel chemistry or by hydro- and solvothermal synthesis (Route A); via hybridization of well-defined nanobuilding blocks (NBBs)/assemblies of preformed monodispersed nano-objects (Route B); by self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules and polymers to generate supramolecular templates and to control the texture and morphology of the growing solid or gel phase (Route C) and bFiygumreea3n. Regardless of the class of nanohybrids, they can be prepared in several ways (Figure 4)—by conventional sol-gel chemistry or by hydro- and solvothermal synthesis (Route A); via hybridization of well-defined nanobuilding blocks (NBBs)/assemblies of preformed monodispersed nano-objects (Route B); by self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules and polymers to generate supramolecular templates and to control the texture and morphology of the growing solid or gel phase (Route C) and by means of several tandem methods (Route D). The part of this review will be focused on tools and strategies utilized in nanoanalytics for the analysis and validation of nanomaterials in general and O-I nanohybrids as a case study

Nanoanalytics

Future Perspectives

Findings

Conclusions