For the first time, a German-American research team has determined the three-dimensional shape of free-flying silver nanoparticles, using DESY’s X-ray laser FLASH. The tiny particles, hundreds of times smaller than the width of a human hair, were found to exhibit an unexpected variety of shapes, as the physicists from the Technical University (TU) Berlin, the University of Rostock, the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in the United States and from DESY report in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Besides this surprise, the results open up new scientific routes, such as direct observation of rapid changes in nanoparticles.
Read: X-Ray Pulses Uncover Free Nanoparticles for the First Time in 3-D
Nanoparticles are becoming increasingly pervasive in our everyday lives. These tiny particles, invisible to the naked eye, have widespread applications, ranging from sunscreen and paints to colour filters and electronic components. They are even promising for medical purposes including cancer treatment. “The functionality of nanoparticles is linked to their geometric form, which is often very difficult to determine experimentally,” explains Dr. Ingo Barke from the University of Rostock. “This is particularly challenging when they are present as free particles, that is, in the absence of contact with a surface or a liquid.”
Filed Under: M2M (machine to machine)