Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization
09:35

Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization

Published on: December 25, 2017

28.8K

Quantification of Nanoparticles in Dispersions Using Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Ralf Kaegi1, Martin Fierz2, Bodo Hattendorf3

  • 1Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600Dübendorf, Switzerland.

Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada
|May 11, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Metrology of Nanoparticles.

Chimia·2026
Same author

Temperature Dependence of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-<i>co</i>-3-hydroxyhexanoate) Biodegradation in Agricultural Soils.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Quantification of small (1-10 µm) microplastic particles in soil matrices using automated scanning electron microscopy: possibilities and limitations.

Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry·2025
Same author

Oxygen Isotope Analyses of Phosphate and Organophosphorus Compounds by Electrospray Ionization Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

Analytical chemistry·2025
Same author

Effects of organic ligands, phosphate and Ca on the structure and composition of Fe(III)-precipitates formed by Fe(II) oxidation at near-neutral pH.

Environmental science. Processes & impacts·2025
Same author

ICPMS/MS with Benzene Vapor.

Analytical chemistry·2025

This study presents a method for nanoparticle characterization using an ultrasonic nebulizer and transmission electron microscopy. While underestimating particle number concentration, it enables reproducible nanoparticle deposition for size and morphology analysis.

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Accurate nanoparticle characterization, including particle size and number concentration (PNC), is crucial for nanomaterial applications.
  • Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a gold standard for nanoparticle size but faces challenges in sample preparation for PNC estimation.
  • Current methods for preparing nanoparticle samples for TEM-based PNC analysis are often complex and difficult.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a reproducible method for nanoparticle deposition on TEM grids for morphological analysis and PNC estimation.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of an ultrasonic nebulizer (USN) coupled with an electrostatic precipitator for nanoparticle aerosolization and deposition.
  • To assess the accuracy of PNC estimations derived from TEM images using this novel approach.
Keywords:
electrostatic depositionnanoparticlesparticle number concentrationsuspensions

More Related Videos

Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles
10:00

Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles

Published on: July 5, 2016

12.0K
Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
08:39

Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles

Published on: October 16, 2017

12.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization
09:35

Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization

Published on: December 25, 2017

28.8K
Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles
10:00

Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles

Published on: July 5, 2016

12.0K
Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
08:39

Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles

Published on: October 16, 2017

12.9K

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an ultrasonic nebulizer (USN) to convert nanoparticle suspensions into dried aerosols.
  • Employed an electrostatic precipitator integrated with an aerosol monitor for depositing nanoparticles onto TEM grids.
  • Analyzed SiO2 nanoparticles (50–200 nm) using TEM to assess deposition uniformity and estimate PNC.

Main Results:

  • Achieved reproducible and even deposition of nanoparticles in the center of TEM grids.
  • Observed a deposition efficiency of approximately 2% for the electrostatic precipitator and 7% for the USN.
  • TEM-derived PNC underestimated suspension PNC by up to a factor of three, attributed to NP aggregation and droplet coagulation within the USN.
  • Single particles remained the dominant feature in the PNC.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method provides reproducible nanoparticle deposition on TEM grids, suitable for morphological studies.
  • While the method currently underestimates PNC, it offers a viable approach for estimating nanoparticle concentrations in suspensions.
  • Further optimization of the USN process could improve the accuracy of PNC quantification.