SBIR Phase I: An Optical Instrument for Nanostructure Characterization

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目测试了使用高度创新的偏振多波长消光光谱方法在线无损表征包覆纳米颗粒和纳米颗粒团聚的可行性。根据消光测量和包含不同大小的包覆球形粒子及其团聚体形状的数值生成消光值的数据库，确定了包覆粒子的尺寸和厚度分布(或根据初级球数和分维的分布来表示其团聚体的尺寸分布)。目前，现有的商业仪器不能准确地表征包覆的球形颗粒和团聚体。电子显微镜等技术涉及耗时的样品准备和样品处理，这会改变样品的形态。我们建议的技术提供的功能在与目标功能相关的几个应用中非常重要。拟议的仪器将有助于为新的应用开发量身定制的涂层纳米颗粒。纳米颗粒技术非常先进，定位于影响与制药、医疗诊断和生物材料相关的行业。如果成功，拟议的仪器将使包覆和团聚纳米颗粒的制造达到新的质量水平。2007年，生物医学、制药、营养食品和化妆品应用领域的纳米颗粒全球市场价值2.046亿美元(BCC研究报告，NANO17D)。预计到2012年，这一数字将增加到6.844亿美元以上，年复合增长率为32.0%。拟议的产品将是这些行业中许多行业的宝贵表征工具，该技术具有独特的应用潜力，将为新的使能技术铺平道路。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project tests the feasibility of using a highly innovative polarized multi-wavelength light extinction spectroscopy approach for on-line non-destructive characterization of coated nanoparticles and nanoparticle agglomerates. From extinction measurements and a database which contains numerically generated extinction values for different sizes of coated spherical particles and their agglomerates shapes, the size and thickness distribution of coated particles (or size distribution of their agglomerates in terms of distribution of number of primary spheres and fractal dimension) is determined. Currently available commercial instruments cannot accurately characterize coated spherical particles and agglomerates. Techniques such as electron microscopy involve time consuming sample preparation and sample handling which alters sample morphology. The capability provided by our proposed technology is extremely important in several applications relevant to targeted functionality. The proposed instrument will help in developing tailored coated nanoparticles for new applications.Nanoparticles technology is well advanced and positioned to impact industries related to pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, and biomaterials. If successful the proposed instrument will enable new levels of quality in the manufacturing of coated and agglomerated nanoparticles. Global market for nanoparticles in biomedical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications are worth $ 204.6 million in 2007 (Bcc research report, nano17D). This is expected to increase to over $ 684.4 million by 2012, a CAGR of 32.0 %. The proposed product will be a valuable characterization tool for many of these industries and the technology, with its unique application potential, will pave the way for new enabling technologies.