At the nanoscale, size, shape, and surface are the material. MatX Lab measures particle size and shape, confirms surface area and composition, verifies structure, and checks consistency batch to batch.
At the nanoscale, size, shape, and surface are the material properties. A shift in particle size distribution, an agglomeration problem, a change in surface chemistry, or a trace impurity can change how a nanomaterial behaves and whether it performs. MatX Lab characterizes nanomaterials so you can measure particle size and shape, confirm surface area and composition, verify structure, or check consistency from batch to batch. The work resolves the properties that define a nanomaterial, down to individual particles.
Testing of nanomaterials is focused on those properties that have the most significant effect on their performance. The parameters such as size and morphology, surface area and composition, surface chemistry, as well as crystal structure of materials are tested. Testing of defect concentration is performed for carbon-based nanomaterials. All these tests are also used to validate new materials as well as ensure consistency of manufacture.
Nanomaterials work usually combines imaging with particle and surface methods, and we scope the combination your question needs. The methods below are the ones we reach for most, and each links to its own page.
Resolves particle size, shape, and dispersion, and reads layer count in 2D materials, by SEM, TEM, and AFM. It is the direct way to see what your particles look like.
Measures particle size distribution and specific surface area by dynamic light scattering, laser diffraction, and gas adsorption. These give you the population statistics behind a batch.
Checks the material for its elemental composition, overall purity, and any trace metal contamination using ICP-MS. Even tiny amounts of impurities can influence how the material behaves in electronic and catalytic applications.
Uses XPS to examine the surface chemistry and any surface treatments on a nanomaterial. This helps explain how the material disperses, interacts with its surroundings, and behaves in different applications.
Identifies crystal structure and phase by X-ray diffraction, and defect density in graphene and nanotubes by Raman.
Fingerprints carbon nanomaterials and functional groups by Raman and FTIR, confirming what a synthesis produced.
Uses TGA to check material purity, measure the amount of surface functional groups, and evaluate thermal stability. It is commonly used to confirm coatings and verify that surface functionalization has been carried out as intended.
Testing of nanomaterials cuts across the industries working on next-generation materials. Think functional coatings and catalysts, plus energy storage and advanced composites.
Advanced Materials · Electronics · Energy · Semiconductors · Research & Development
Standards rarely keep pace with nanomaterials. So when an applicable method exists, we work to it and name it in your report. When one doesn't, we write our own procedure, document it properly, and make sure it gives the same result every time.
| Analysis / Standard | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Analysis of Nanoparticles | Particle Size & Distribution |
| AFM | Nano-Scale Roughness Measurement of Si Wafers by Atomic Force |
| ASTM D1921 | Particle Size (Sieve Analysis) of Plastic Materials |
| ASTM C721 | Particle Size of Alumina and Silica Powder |
| ASTM C1182 | Particle Size Distribution of Alumina |
| ASTM E3220 | Characterization of Graphene Flakes |
| ASTM E2859 | Nanoparticle Size Measurement by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) |
| ASTM B923 | Helium Pycnometry True Density Measurement |
| ASTM E3269 | Particle-Bound Gold Mass Fraction in Colloidal Gold Suspensions |
| ASTM E1840 | Raman Shift Frequency Calibration of Raman Spectrometers |
| ASTM E1252, ASTM E168 | Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques |
| ASTM E1252 | Infrared Spectra for Qualitative Material Identification |
| ASTM C958 | Particle Size Distribution of Alumina or Quartz |
| ASTM C690 | Alumina and Quartz Powder Particle Size Distribution |
| ASTM C1730 | Nanoparticles of Ceramics using X-Ray Gravity Sedimentation |
Yes. By electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, you can observe the size and shape of particles individually. Dynamic Light Scattering and Laser Diffraction look at the whole population. Your needs will determine which method is right for your sample, and sometimes the solution is both. We give the distribution as-is, without averaging it to one value.
Yes. Raman and structural characterization separate layer count, defect density, and phase. Electron microscopy shows you the material itself. Together, they confirm what came out of the synthesis, not just what the route predicted.
Yes. We lock the method and parameters, run every batch the same way, and report the variation as it comes out. That applies whether you're comparing size distribution, surface area, composition, or phase. Comparative work is one of the requests we see most often in nanomaterials.
MatX Lab coordinates your nanomaterials testing through a network of accredited partner laboratories, so imaging, particle, and surface work run under one program. You work with one contact and receive one report. Methods are aligned to ASTM and ISO where a published method applies, and documented where none does. MatX Lab is an analysis provider, not a standards body, and issues no certifications. Every engagement can sit under an NDA.
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