Synthesis of Nanoparticles by Microemulsion Technique and their Characterization

Abstract

Nanoscale materials exhibit an appealing array of properties and provide an interesting prospect for research both from a fundamental as well as a technological perspective. The current emerging themes in nanoscale research arc controlled synthesis with well defined sizes and geometries, unraveling their unique physical, chemical and biological properties and assembly of these nanoscale building blocks into functional devices. Morphological and size control of calcium phosphate nanostructures is potentially an enormous topic. The application of calcium phosphate depends on the crystal shape, size, morphology, crystallinity, thermal stability and solubility, all of which are strongly influenced by the fabrication route. Therefore, the development of synthesis route for controlling the morphology and size of these nanocrystals becomes a necessity. This will involve the development of a method which enables us to design these nanoparticles according to the need of the application. The wet chemical technologies have been shown as an efficient quotbottom-upquot mute to fabricate nanoparticles with diverse morphologies. The work described in this thesis provides an insight into the general wet chemical strategies used to tune the calcium phosphate morphologies at the nanoscale, placing particular emphasis on reverse microemulsion technique. Preliminary investigations involve the synthesis of calcium phosphate nanoparticles via single step chemical precipitation, emulsion and reverse microemulsion routes. To prepare emulsion and reverse microemulsion a mixture of surfactants (cationic + non-ionic surfactant) was employed.