Thursday, February 1, 2018

URSP Student Brittany Rapp Addresses A Lack of Information Regarding Nanoparticles

I became interested in the study of nanoparticles due to the current focus on nanotechnology.  Nanotechnology currently integrates different types of nanoparticles for medical research, chemical research and analytical studies to name a few. I have currently conducted two semesters of research with titanium dioxide, iron(III) oxide and gold nanoparticles. I will continue my work for a third semester to continue making new discoveries. My current project focuses on addressing a current lack of information regarding nanoparticles and their implementation as a method of noninvasive sensing.


Nanotechnology has become of particular interest to myself and, for future goals, I plan on integrating my current work when I begin studying for my PhD in chemistry.On a weekly basis, I currently use different analytical techniques to detect gold nanoparticles, determine the size assuming spherical shape, study the effects of synthesis in situ, and combine the data to determine the kinetics of gold nanoparticle synthesis in situ at ambient conditions. During this term, I discovered a new method of synthesizing gold nanoparticles with a method with does not require excessive heating and stirring, as most current methods require.This has allowed for a simultaneous study of the gold nanoparticle synthesis by three instruments simultaneously. OSCAR helped to fund the later part of my project and allowed me to obtain the materials needed for future work.