COURSES

Goals

The students learn specific physical and chemical laws related to nanometric dimensions, methods of measurement of nanoparticles in liquid and gaseous mediums and microscopic methods for their morphological, physical and chemical identification.

Curriculum

Morphological and crystallographic properties of organic and inorganic nanoparts: fibres, needles, spherical nanoparts which are smaller than 100 nm at least in one direction. Methods of collecting and sorting of nanoparts by size and mass in crystal and gaseous media (multistage impactors, electrostatic classification). Specific physical and chemical properties of low-dimensional systems. Self-arrangement, agglomeration, reconstructions, relaxations, phase transfers, quantum effects. Synthesis of equivalent nanoparticles in laboratory conditions in adequate quantities for use of macroscopic characterization methods. Detection of chemical activity in reducing dimensions of nanoparticles regarding biocompatibility and/or toxicity. Methods of characterization of nanomaterials: high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, scanning tunnel microscopy and spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, spectroscopy of electronic energy losses. Overview of the basic methods for monitoring of intentional generation or accidental emission of nanoparticles into the occupational and general environment. The cases under consideration will be adapted to the objectives and content of the postgraduate student's research project.