Osmium Oxide (OsO₂) Nanopowder or Nanoparticles, nanodots or nanocrystals are ferric and ferrous spherical or faceted high surface area oxide magnetic nanostructure particles. Nanoscale Osmium Oxide Particles are typically 20-80 nanometers (nm) with specific surface area (SSA) in the 10 - 50 m 2 /g range and also available in with an average particle size of 100 nm range with a specific surface area of approximately 7- 10 m 2 /g. Nano Osmium Oxide Particles are also available in ultra high purity and high purity, transparent, and coated and dispersed forms. They are also available as a nanofluid through the AE Nanofluid production group. Nanofluids are generally defined as suspended nanoparticles in solution either using surfactant or surface charge technology. Nanofluid dispersion and coating selection technical guidance is also available. Other nanostructures include nanorods, nanowhiskers, nanohorns, nanopyramids and other nanocomposites. Surface functionalized nanoparticles allow for the particles to be preferentially adsorbed at the surface interface using chemically bound polymers. Development research is underway in Nano Electronics and Photonics materials, such as MEMS and NEMS, Bio Nano Materials, such as Biomarkers, Bio Diagnostics & Bio Sensors, and Related Nano Materials, for use in Polymers, Textiles, Fuel Cell Layers, Composites and Solar Energy materials. Nanopowders are analyzed for chemical composition by ICP, particle size distribution (PSD) by laser diffraction, and for Specific Surface Area (SSA) by BET multi-point correlation techniques. Novel nanotechnology applications also include Quantum Dots. High surface areas can also be achieved using solutions and using thin film by sputtering targets and evaporation technology using pellets, rod and foil.. Applications for Osmium Oxide Nanocrystals include as a flame retardant in coatings, plastics, fiber and textiles and in certain alloy and catalyst applications. Further research is being done for their potential electrical, magnetic, optical, and bioscience properties. Osmium Oxide Nano Particles are generally immediately available in most volumes.American Elements produces to many standard grades when applicable, including Mil Spec (military grade); ACS, Reagent and Technical Grade; Food, Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Grade; Optical Grade, USP and EP/BP (European Pharmacopoeia/British Pharmacopoeia)and follows applicable ASTM testing standards.Typical and custom packaging is available. Additional technical, research and safety (MSDS) information is available as is a Reference Calculator for converting relevant units of measurement.

Osmium is a Block D, Group 8, Period 6 element. The number of electrons in each of Osmium's shells is 2, 8, 18, 32, 14, 2 and its electronic configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁶ 6s². In its elemental form osmium's CAS number is 7440-04-2. The osmium atom has a radius of 133.8.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Osmium tetroxide (OsO₄) can cause eye, lung and skin damage which makes it very toxic. Osmium has the highest melting point and the lowest vapor pressure of any of the platinum group of metals. Osmium tetroxide has recently been used to detect fingerprints and as an aid to stain fatty tissue for microscope slides. The metal is almost entirely used to produce very hard alloys with other metals of the platinum group. Osmium is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. Osmium was first discovered by Smithson Tennant in 1803. The origin of the name Osmium comes from the Greek word osme meaning a smell or odor. See Osmium research below.