Anti-clumping strategy for nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are ubiquitous in industrial applications ranging from drug delivery and biomedical diagnostics to developing hydrophobic surfaces, lubricant additives and enhanced oil recovery solutions in petroleum fields. For such nanoparticles to be effective, they need to remain well dispersed into the fluid surrounding them. Physicists have now identified the conditions that lead to instability of nanoparticles and producing aggregates.