US Patent 7259101 - Nanoparticle ink from metal monoxide precursors

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7259101.html

Nanoparticle based inks are a favored candidate for printing based lithography such as inkjet and nanoimprinting. This patent teaches forming transition metal or semiconductor nanoparticles for purposes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of making nanoparticles comprising: a. treating a monoxide precursor to form a composite material comprising nanoparticles and an oxide matrix; b. isolating the nanoparticles from the composite material by treating the oxide matrix to an etchant medium comprises a hydrogen fluoride source.