Characterizing the surface chemistry of nanoparticles: an analogy to solid-phase synthesis samples.

Chemical modifications of nanoparticle's (NP's) surfaces can be used to regulate their activities, remove their toxic effects, and enable them to perform desired functions. Similar to SPS samples, modified NPs also have small-molecules on the surface of a solid support. The need to monitor synthesis, optimize reaction conditions, and characterize the products is quite similar in both situations. FTIR, NMR, MS and other analytical methods have been used as effective methods to analyze surface bound molecules and monitor organic reactions directly, or indirectly, on a solid phase of a resin or a NPs.