Characterization techniques and paradigms of nanomaterials

The properties of nanomaterials are closely related to their structures. It is very important to explore the structure of nanomaterials for understanding their properties and applications. Therefore, the characterization of nanomaterials is one of the most important research topics in nanotechnology. The main purpose of the characterization of nanomaterials is to determine some physical and chemical characteristics of nanomaterials, such as morphology, size, particle size, chemical composition, crystal structure, atomic structure, electronic structure, and band gap structure. Common characterization methods and techniques include: (1) Morphological characterization: SEM, TEM, AFM; (2) Composition analysis: ICP, XPS, EDS; (3) Structural characterization: XRD, FT-IR, BET, Raman, XAS, EELS; (4) Theoretical calculation: DOS, D-band center, adsorption ΔG; (5) Optical-electrical property characterization: UV-VIS, PL, photocurrent. In this chapter, we pay special attention to the description of the definitions and principles of different characterization methods and their paradigm summary of our or other group's work in recent years.