Nanotechnology is quickly redefining how we live. In the textile industry, they’re leading to intelligent, adaptable clothing that better repels stains, odors, and water. Consumer electronics, such as smartphones and other devices we use on a daily basis, are powered by transistors that are becoming ever smaller, faster, and better thanks to nanotechnology. In medicine, nanoparticles are being developed to deliver next-generation drugs and vaccines. It even has applications in the energy sector, where it is improving the efficiency of solar and wind power.

The versatility of nanoparticles arises from the fact that atoms and molecules have fundamentally different properties at the nanoscale than when they are combined to form larger particles or bulk materials. Some are better at conducting electricity and heat. Some are stronger, have different magnetic properties, or better reflect light. Materials at the nanoscale also have far greater surface areas than bulk materials, allowing nanoparticles to act as chemical catalysts in industrial applications or in automotive catalytic converters.

Quantifying the composition, sizes and shapes of nanoparticles is a crucial first step in furthering our understanding of their unique properties. Using intuitive scanning or transmission electron microscopes (S/TEM) in combination with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), researchers around the globe are obtaining nanometer-, and even sub-nanometer-, scale images and chemical data, giving important insights into the arrangement and potential functions of nanoparticles.

The need for large area correlative imaging at high resolution has recently increased, as it allows researchers to preserve the context of their observations while also providing statistically robust data. Thermo Scientific Maps Software enables automated, unattended acquisition of images across a sample that are then stitched together to create one large final image. Additionally, Thermo Scientific Avizo Software allows for on-the-fly processing of statistics such as size, surface area, perimeter, distribution, and chemical composition of nanoparticles. Images and chemical information from different microscopes can be correlated to retain relevant context