How can I be sure that the percentage of ethanol that was used in the process of washing the nanoparticles is removed? What is the best ratio between ethanol and distilled water for the purification process?
Dear Husham N Noori thank you for sharing this interesting technical question on RG. I think it is difficult to give you a generally applicable anwer to this question. In any case you should follow the published procedure for synthesizing your particular nanoparticles. Please keep in mind that when researchers publish a new synthesis of nanoparticles, they normally write phrases like "the product was thoroughly washed with ethanol and water" etc. in most cases the amounts of ethanol and water are chosen "by instinct". Thus I'm pretty sure that there is no such thing as a "best ratio between ethanol and distilled water for the purification process". My personal advice would be to wash your product 2-3 times with ethanol (e.g. 20-50 ml) and than wash with water until you cannot detect the smell of ethanol any more.
Good luck with your work and best wishes, Frank Edelmann
In my feeling, the best method is clean the nanoparticles by centrifugation (sedimentation and re-dispersion) in water or other solvent. But take care... excess of cleaning would promote agglomeration of your nanoparticles.
You will centrifuge your nanoparticles and then will re-dispersed and centrifuge again. Follow same procedure 2, 3 time. Finally washed nanoparticles with ethanol. You will get pure nanoparticles.
Thanks a lot for the explanation. Suppose I took 4 milliliters of liquid nano-material that was prepared after a while, then ethanol was added to it. The question is what is the percentage of ethanol needed for washing so that the properties of the nano-material are not damaged? When is it better to add it immediately after its preparation or after a time of preparation, i.e. after the liquid has cooled?
Dear Husham N Noori thanks for your kind response and explanation. It would be interesting to know in this context if you followed a literature preparation. The synthesis of nanoparticles is a rather vast field of research. Thus it would also facilitate giving you a more qualified answer if you could tell us which kind of nanoparticles you have prepared. With best wishes, Frank Edelmann
Mohamed Khedawy Is washing with distilled water or ethanol? According to my knowledge, the separation of particles is with ethanol and then washed with distilled water, but what I want to understand is what is the ratio between distilled water and ethanol? Or what is the best ratio between them? Is the proportion of the liquid containing the nanomaterials included in the ratio between them?
Dera Husham N Noori thanky for sharing your new question and concerns. I fully understand that this question puzzles you. However, there is no generally accepted ratio between distilled water and ethanol when washing nanoparticles. Researchers are absolutely free do do it their way and use different ratios. After all, the goal is to purify the nanoparticles and remove unreacted starting materials and by-products. It certainly doesn't hurt if you use more water and ethanol than what is absolutely necessary. Over time you will get more and more experienced and develop a feeling for what is appropriate.
Just isolate your nanoparticles by filtration, then re-disperse them in distilled water, centrifuge again and repeat this 2-3 times. Then repeat the whole procedure 2-3 times with ethanol and finally dry the product.
Please have a look at the answers given to the following closely related question which has been asked earlier on RG:
How do I remove impurities in nanoparticles?
https://www.researchgate.net/post/How-do-I-remove-impurities-in-nanoparticles
I hope this helps. Good luck with your work and best wishes, Frank Edelmann
- Badges
- Science topic