Nanomaterials are materials that are 100 nanometers or less in at least one dimension. They exhibit different properties than bulk materials due to their small size. Nanoparticles are synthesized using physical, chemical, and biological methods and characterized using techniques like UV-visible spectrometry, TEM, and XRD. Common types of nanoparticles include carbon-based, metal, metal oxide, semiconductor, and polymeric nanoparticles. Nanoparticles find applications in water treatment, medicine, and waste management due to their unique properties.

1. Cebu Technological University-Main Campus
M.J Cuenco Avenue Corner R. Palma St. Cebu City, Philippines 6000
Case Study of a Comprehensive Review of Nanomaterial: Types,
Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications
Submitted by:
Jessa Saban
Course and Section
BSIE 2-5

2. I. Introduction
Nanomaterials are typically defined as materials with at least one exterior
dimension of 100 nanometers or less or internal structures of 100 nm or less. They can
take the shape of particles, tubes, rods, or fibers. Nanomaterials with the same
composition as known materials in bulk form may have different physicochemical
properties and may behave differently if introduced into the body. As a result, they may
pose several potential dangers.
Nanotechnology is the technique of modifying structures, electronics, and
systems at the nanoscale scale. Because of their extraordinary electrical, optical, and
magnetic capabilities, nanoscale particles have received a lot of interest. The demand
for breakthrough technology applications in data storage, biological sciences, and drug
delivery has fuelled nanoparticle research.
II. Discussion
Capping Agents and Their Types
Capping agents (polymers, organic ligands, and surfactants) are required
for the production of metal nanoparticles with exact size and shape. Their impact on the
performance of nanomaterials-based catalysts is complex and disputed. Typical capping
agents used in nanoparticle production include heteroatom functionalized long-chain
hydrocarbons. They can be categorized according to the nature of the donor atom; the
broadly classed green capping agents are:
● Biomolecules. The concentration of L-histidine, an amino acid used to convert
tetraboric acid (AuCl4) to Au-NPs, influenced the size of the NPs. Maruyama and
colleagues employed amino acids as capping agents to create Au-NP with a size
range of 4-7 nm.
● Polysaccharides. Dextran is a hydrophilic, biocompatible, non-toxic material that
is used to coat numerous metal nanoparticles. Chitosan is a polysaccharide
composed of linear glucosamine and N acetylglucosamine units. Non-parenteral
drug delivery by chitosan-based NPs has the potential to treat cancer, lung
ailments, gastrointestinal disorders, and ocular infections.
Types of Nanoparticles

3. NPs are divided into numerous classes based on their morphology, size,
and chemical properties. Based on physical and chemical properties, some of the
most well-known classes of NPs are mentioned below.
● Carbon-based NPs.
Carbon-based nanomaterials include fullerenes, carbon nanotubes,
graphene and its derivatives, graphene oxide, nanodiamonds, and
carbon-based quantum dots.
● Metal NPs.
Metal-based nanoparticles are created by reducing metals to nanometric
sizes through destructive or constructive processes. Nanoparticles have unique
traits such as diameters ranging from 10 to 100 nm, surface characteristics such
as pore size and surface charge with density, and so on. In the solar
electromagnetic spectrum, noble metals and alkali NPs exhibit a notable
absorption band.
● Metal oxide nanoparticles synthesis.
Metals have long been used as antibacterial agents in a variety of
applications. Many metal oxide nanoparticles have been investigated for their
potential use in the electrochemical detection of biomolecules. Because they are
polymer-coated, CuO-NPs are extensively used as antibacterial agents in paints
and textiles. SPIO-NPs (magnetic nanoparticles) are being investigated as the
next generation of MRI contrast agents and drug delivery vectors. The use of an
external magnetic field has the potential to alter the biodistribution of these
nanoparticles. SPIONs typically have two structural configurations: I a magnetic
particle core coated with a biocompatible polymer (commonly magnetite,
maghemite, Fe3O4, or maghemile, Fe2O3) or (ii) PIOCs placed inside the pores
of a porous polymeric.
● Semiconductor NPs.
Photocatalysis, photo optics, and electrical devices all rely on
semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs). They have qualities that fall between metals

4. and nonmetals, giving them a wide range of applications. Several semiconductor
NPs are highly efficient in water splitting applications due to their optimum
bandgap and band edge placements.
● Polymeric NPs.
Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are particles measuring 1 to 1000 nm in
size. They can be loaded with active substances that are either entrapped within
the polymeric core or surface-adsorbed onto it. NPs have shown considerable
promise for targeted drug delivery in the treatment of a variety of illnesses.
Synthesis of Nanomaterials
● Physical.
In laser ablation synthesis, nanomaterials are created by striking the target
material with a powerful laser beam. The two most popular types of lithography
are masked and maskless lithography. By hitting the target surface with gaseous
ions, sputtering deposition induces the physical ejection of small atom clusters.
● Chemical.
Coprecipitation, microemulsion, hydrothermal, electrochemical deposition,
sonochemical, and thermal breakdown are all processes used in the chemical
approach. The sol-gel method is a wet chemical procedure that is frequently
used in the production of nanomaterials. The reverse micelle method generates
NPs that are extremely small and monodispersed in nature.
● Biological.
In many ways, nanoparticles produced by a biogenic enzymatic process
outperform those produced by chemical methods. The latter methods can
generate a huge number of NPs with a specific size and form in a short period of
time. They are complex, out-of-date, expensive, and inefficient, and they produce
harmful toxic waste.
● Biosynthesis of NPs using microorganisms.
Microbes produce nanoparticles through metal capture, enzymatic
reduction, and capping. Metal ions are initially trapped on the surface or inside
microbial cells and subsequently converted to nanoparticles in the presence of
enzymes.Green NP synthesis employs microbial cells such as fungi, yeast, and
bacteria because the process can be regulated by adjusting culture parameters
such as nutrition, pH, pressure, and temperature. The microbial system has an
inherent mechanism for producing NPs from metallic salts (Li et al., 2011).

5. Characterization of Nanoparticles
● UV–visible spectrometry.
The creation of nanoparticles is clearly demonstrated by a constant
increase in the characteristic peak with increasing reaction time and
concentration of biological extracts with salt ions. The UV-vis absorption
spectrum of nanosized particles exhibits peaks characteristic of surface plasmon
resonance.
● Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
TEM is based on the electron transmittance concept and may provide
information about the bulk material at various magnifications ranging from very
low to very high.
● Particle size and zeta potential.
The zeta potential (ZP) is a useful measure for determining how
suspended particles behave in aqueous conditions. It can be quantified as an
electrical potential on the surface of suspended NPs' interfacial double layer. It is
a critical approach for determining the size distributions of nanoparticles.
● Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) creates an infrared
absorption spectrum to identify chemical bonds in a molecule. The spectra
generate a sample profile, a unique molecular fingerprint that may be used to
screen and scan samples for a variety of components.
● X-ray diffraction (XRD).
The elemental makeup of materials can be fine-tuned using X-ray
diffraction (XRD), a non-destructive analytical approach. In XRD, the position
(angle) and intensities of the induced X-ray beam diffraction by the sample can
reveal information about the sample.
● Scanning Electron Microscopy ( SEM).
SEM can produce images of three-dimensional objects because it records
electrons released from a sample by an electron beam impinging on it rather than
electrons passing through it. The size and shape of magnetic nanoparticles are
studied using SEM to generate detailed 3D photographs of them.
Applications of Synthesis NPs
● Water treatment

6. The nanoparticles are water-attracting and very porous, absorbing water
like a sponge while rejecting dissolved salts and other contaminants. Organic
chemicals and bacteria, which clog traditional membranes over time, are also
repelled by the hydrophilic nanoparticles incorporated in the membrane.
● Medical application.
Nanotechnologies have significant potential in medicine, including
imaging techniques and diagnostic tools, drug delivery systems,
tissue-engineered constructs, implants, and pharmaceutical therapeutics, and
have advanced treatments for a variety of diseases such as cardiovascular
disease, cancer, musculoskeletal conditions, psychiatric and neurodegenerative
diseases, bacterial and viral infections, and diabetes.
● Waste management.
Adsorbents containing nanoparticles have been widely employed to
remove hazardous pollutants from industrial effluent. Organic and inorganic
contaminants can be removed using nano-adsorbents (Kumari et al., 2019).
Carbon-based, metal-based, and metal oxide-based nanoparticles are the most
common.
III. Conclusion
Nanotechnology is a developing science that is creating new and novel tools to
combat water, air, and soil pollution. To make nanomaterials more helpful for
biosensing, environmental remediation, illness detection, and other applications, they
are being functionalized with organic and inorganic components. Many scientists are
continuing to create nanomaterial-based technologies and inventions in order to provide
answers to the millions of people who lack access to clean and fundamental services.
Nanomaterials have already been used in different industries, especially in creating
technology that could improve their functionality. They are used in medical fields, in
waste management, and even in making sure that the water we drink is clean and safe
to use. The small scale of nanomaterials is a big advantage for making heavy
equipment lighter and easier to use. Furthermore, nanomaterials are indeed a great
help in our society especially in business industries as the number of
nanotechnology-produced or nanomaterial-containing items entering the market is
growing.
IV. References

7. Nanotechnologies: 1. What are nanomaterials? (n.d.).
https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/nanomaterials
/en/l-2/1.htm
Patel, K. D. (2019, March 18). Carbon-based nanomaterials as an emerging platform for
theranostics. Materials Horizons (RSC Publishing).
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/mh/c8mh00966j
NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic. (n.d.).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8005047/