What is the Difference Between Nanomaterials and Nanoparticles?

The key difference between nanomaterials and nanoparticles lies in their structure and dimensions. Here is a summary of their differences:

• Nanomaterials are materials with any internal or external structures on the nanoscale dimensions, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nm in size. They can possess one or more peripheral nanoscale dimensions and have unique properties due to their size and surface-to-volume ratio. Examples of nanomaterials include carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites, graphene, nanowires, and fullerenes.
• Nanoparticles are nano-objects with three external nanoscale dimensions. They are a specific type of nanomaterial with well-defined physical and chemical properties, making them suitable for various applications. Examples of nanoparticles include GaN, GaP, InA from group III-V, ZnS, CdS, silicon, and germanium.

Both nanomaterials and nanoparticles have gained prominence in technological advancements due to their tunable properties, such as wettability, electrical and thermal conductivity, catalytic activity, and light absorption and scattering, resulting in enhanced performance over their bulk counterparts.

Comparative Table: Nanomaterials vs Nanoparticles

The key difference between nanomaterials and nanoparticles is that nanomaterials are materials with any internal or external structures on the nanoscale dimensions, while nanoparticles are nano-objects with three external nanoscale dimensions. Here is a summary of their differences in tabular form:

Some examples of nanomaterials include carbon nanotubes, nanocomposite, graphene, nanowire, and fullerene, while examples of nanoparticles include GaN, GaP, InA from group III-V, ZnS, CdS, silicon, and germanium.