Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine

Nanoparticle interactions

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Particle–particle interactions in physiological media are important determinants for nanoparticle fate and transport. Herein, such interactions are assessed by a novel atomic force microscopy -based platform. Industry-relevant CeO₂, Fe₂O₃, and SiO₂ nanoparticles of various diameters were made by the flame spray pyrolysis (FSP)-based Harvard Versatile Engineering Nanomaterials Generation System (Harvard VENGES). The nanoparticles were fully characterized both structurally and morphologically, and their properties in water and biological media were also assessed. The nanoparticles were attached on AFM tips and deposited on Si substrates to measure particle–particle interactions. Nanoparticle interactions in solution affect their binding to biomolecules, their electronic properties, and their packing into larger crystals. However, the theories that describe larger colloidal particles fail for nanoparticles, because the interactions do not add together linearly. Nanoparticle interactions are often described by classical colloidal theories developed for µPs.