Mass spectrometry of nano materials

Dr. Reddy Nagender Panyala, PhD


Presentation deals with selected nano-materials and clusters, theirs characterization,
toxicological aspects of some nano-particles and applications of mass spectrometry  with time-of-
flight analyzer (TOF MS) for mass-spectrometric analysis of these materials and also for laser
ablation  synthesis.


     Three extensive reviews dealing with nano-silver, nano-gold and carbon nano-tubes were worked
out and published. Applications in nano-technology, bio-analytics and in medicine were described
and toxicological properties evaluated. Health risks of not well considered applications of
anti-microbial nano-silver for human health and environmental contamination are worrying. On the
other hand, it seems that no toxicological or health risks concerning nano-gold are described up to
now. Extensive applications of nano-gold in medicine are summarized and reviewed in details.


Experimentally, using LDI (or MALDI) TOF MS methodology, the laser ablation, desorption and
ionisation of several compounds, first of all nano-gold, nano aluminium nitride and of some
precursors for laser ablation synthesis, was studied. Modified method for synthesis of nano-gold in
aqueous solution was worked out and formation of Au[m] (m = 1-55)  gold clusters during laser
desorption ionisation was described.  It was shown that nano-gold is possible to use as a matrix in
MALDI and also that can be applied as suitable standard for mass spectra calibration. The results
of detailed LDI study of nano-AlN and determination of composition of ten’s Al[m]N[n], clusters is
significant for pulsed laser deposition of nano-AlN.  Study of mass spectra during laser ablation
of (nano-gold + nano-diamond) or (nano-gold + red phosphorus) mixtures a series of up to now not
Au[m]C[n]^± carbides or Au[m]P[n]^± phosphides of gold were described. They might have significance
for nano-technology and synthesis of new materials.