What are the Common Techniques for Nanoparticle Separation?
Several techniques are employed for nanoparticle separation, each suitable for different types of nanoparticles and applications:
Centrifugation: Utilizes centrifugal force to separate nanoparticles based on their size and density. It is particularly effective for high-density and larger nanoparticles. Membrane Filtration: Involves passing a nanoparticle suspension through a membrane with specific pore sizes to separate nanoparticles by size. This method is commonly used in water treatment and biomedical applications. Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF): A versatile technique that uses an external field (e.g., electrical, magnetic, or thermal) to separate nanoparticles based on their size, shape, and other properties. Chromatography: Techniques like size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can separate nanoparticles based on their size, charge, and affinity. Magnetic Separation: Employs magnetic fields to separate magnetic nanoparticles from non-magnetic ones, widely used in separation of magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications.
