DEVELOPMENT OF FUNCTIONAL NANOPARTICULATE MATERIALS: Examination of the Functional and Structural Properties of Nanoparticulate Metal Complexes Prepared by Precipitation with Compressed Antisolvent Technology

Abstract

A diverse set of systems that interact with nitric oxide (NO) is important because of its adverse role in environmental chemistry and importance in mammalian biology. Towards this effort, nanomaterials that interact with NO have been developed because they can display beneficial and unique chemical and physical properties from their larger counterparts. While several nanomaterials have been developed that store and release NO, few systems composed entirely of metal complexes have been reported. The research described in this dissertation involves the development of nanomaterials that interact with NO. Molecule-based nanoparticulate metal complexes were prepared using precipitation with compressed antisolvent technology. Microscopy and powder x-ray diffraction were used to determine that the nanoparticles form lamellar structures during processing. These nanoparticulates also displayed enhanced reactivity towards NO and O2 compared to their unprocessed analogs. The preparative routes towards the synthesis of immobilized metal complexes within silica particles are also discussed.