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Sizing Nanoparticles in Liquids: An Overview of Methods

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Drug Delivery Systems: Advanced Technologies Potentially Applicable in Personalised Treatment

Part of the book series: Advances in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine ((APPPM,volume 4))

Abstract

Measuring nano- and submicron particles suspended in liquids continues to be a difficult task not only because there is no universal sizing technique but, on the contrary, because there are too many alternative methods. These are quite different in their measuring principles and for that may lead to rather different results, especially if the particles under analysis are far from spherical and exhibit broad size distributions.

This chapter is mainly dedicated to the users who are not very acquainted with particle sizing issues but need to select the most adequate method to characterize their suspensions. Having in mind the size range and sample type, seven different methods were selected: besides microscopic methods, that are normally the first choice to “see” the particles, this chapter encompasses techniques based on the measurement of particles Brownian motion (DLS and NTA) and on centrifugal sedimentation (DSC and SdFFF). The operating principles of these techniques as well as their merits and limitations will be discussed.

When you can measure what you are speaking about, you know something about it. But when you cannot measure it, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. It may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely advanced to the stage of science.

Lord Kelvin, 1883

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Polo II – Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal

    Margarida Figueiredo

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  1. Margarida Figueiredo
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Correspondence to Margarida Figueiredo .

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  1. , Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Silvio Lima, Coimbra, 3030 790, Portugal

    Jorge Coelho

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Figueiredo, M. (2013). Sizing Nanoparticles in Liquids: An Overview of Methods. In: Coelho, J. (eds) Drug Delivery Systems: Advanced Technologies Potentially Applicable in Personalised Treatment. Advances in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6010-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6010-3_3

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6010-3

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