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https://doi.org/10.53941/mi.2025.100007
Kumar, H., & Yan, M. Quantification of Nanomaterial Surfaces. Materials and Interfaces. 2025, 2(1), 66–83. doi: https://doi.org/10.53941/mi.2025.100007
Volume 2, Issue 1, 2025
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Review

Quantification of Nanomaterial Surfaces

Harshit Kumar and Mingdi Yan *

Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854, USA

* Correspondence: Mingdi_Yan@uml.edu

Received: 24 February 2025; Revised: 3 March 2025; Accepted: 5 March 2025; Published: 10 March 2025

Abstract: Quantification of nanomaterial surfaces is critical in the design of nanomaterials with predictable and tailored functions. Nanomaterials exhibit unique surface properties, such as high surface-to-volume ratios and tunable chemistry, which govern their stability, reactivity, and functions in a wide range of applications including catalysis, drug delivery, bioimaging, and environmental remediation. However, quantitative analysis of the nanomaterial surface is challenging due to the inherent heterogeneity, which affects the surface structure, ligand density and presentation. This mini review discusses several important aspects of surface quantification, including ligand structure, ligand density, functional groups, and surface reactions. Traditional analytical methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), and UV-vis spectroscopy, as well as emerging techniques that offer higher spatial resolution and sensitivity are discussed, and examples are given.

Keywords:

nanomaterial surface quantification ligand structure surface reactions

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