IGERT Participant: Danny Vereen

IGERT Faculty Advisor: Lee Penn

Investigation of TiO₂ Nanoparticles and their Monodispersity

The purpose of this study is to develop a synthesis that produces monodisperse TiO₂ particles similar in both size and shape. Monodispersity, a size distribution where the variation is less than 5% rms of the average diameter, is key due to the particles' ability to form in different sizes and shapes. Once accomplished, the particles' impurity level and phase will be examined through the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD will be used to identify and quantify the phase and crystallite size of the synthesized TiO₂ particles. In addition, TEM will be used to determine particle sizes, growth mechanisms, atomic structure, particle morphologies, crystallography, and defect types and locations.