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High yield production of metal borides and oxides in two-dimensional, nano-sized morphologies. Novel two-dimensional materials.

Detailed Technology Description

Application (Product)Production ofnanosheets (2D materials) with unusual electronic, thermal and opticalmaterials which can be used in nanomanufacturing and in the development ofnovel materials. Problems Addressed    (benefits/advantages)Although there has been a large surge of interest in nanosheetmaterials during recent years, the majority of the focus has been on grapheneand graphene oxide. However, the demand for nanosheets of much more complexneeds and characteristics has triggered a new wave of synthetic procedures,which aim to meet industrial challenges faced in sectors such as energy,electronics, ceramics, and polymers. Nanosheets are characterized aswell-defined nanomaterials that are one to several monolayers thick and tens ofmicrometers in lateral dimensions. Most importantly, nanosheets are isolableand can be manipulated (and characterized) using solution-based meth-ods, whichallows them to be assembled in a controlled fashion. In addition, nanosheetsare highly ordered and can be thought of as two-dimensional crystals. Theyexhibit excellent strength and stiffness properties, as well as high thermalstability. Their high surface area maximizes the interactions between adjoiningnanosheets and lead to interesting electronic and reactivity effects in mixedmaterial systems. Nanosheets are used as building blocks for various advancedfunctional materials.Metal borides exhibit a variety of outstanding properties. Many ofthem are good to excellent electrical and thermal conductors, while some areexcellent insulators. All have very high melting points (2000-3200 °C), havegood to excellent hardness and good chemical stability. However, the metalborides are not used as extensively as their outstanding properties mightsuggest, largely because of processing issues. For example, the high meltingpoints of the metal borides make them difficult to form into desirablemorphologies (e.g., thin films for coatings). Many of the borides also arebrittle, which can be an issue in their processing and subsequent structuralintegrity. Currently, thin films of some metal diborides can be prepared viaphysical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods[including atomic layer deposition (ALD)]. Each of these techniques hasadvantages and disadvantages. For example, CVD in general can produce uniformcoatings on high aspect-ratio features, in contrast to PVD (which depositsmaterial in a line-of-sight fashion). However, in practice there are a limitednumber of CVD precursors available for metal boride materials. The developmentof highly-efficient, generally applicable methods for the synthesis of suchmaterials and of their controlled manipulation is very desirable.

*Abstract

TechnologySummary

UGAresearchers have developed a new method to produce 10 nm to 25 nm thicknanosheets of metal borides and metal oxides in high yield. These includeborides and oxides of Mg, Sc, To, V, Cr, Mn, Y, Zr, Zn, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, Re, Ruand lanthanides. The method is of general applicability to borides and oxidesnot being limited, for instance, to AlB2– type borides. For example, LaB₆nanosheets are easily manufactured through this technique. The method alsoallows for the production of Li⁽⁰⁾ -intercalated nanosheets ofborides and oxides. This is a high yield process, that directly yields productswith little or no need for further purification. The method provides for thecontrolled deposition of nanosheets onto diverse substrates leading to thedevelopment of multiple nano-devices and novel materials with engineeredproperties. General method, applicable to any metal boride, oxide andcarboborides

Potential Applications of Boride, Boride-based andOxide Nanosheets

• Barriermaterials

• Two-dimensionalphonon and electron conductors

• Dieletricin nanocapacitive devices

• Electricallyconductive materials for fuel cells or as a current-dissipating material

• Manufactureof optical and/or electrical guides

• Homogeneousand heterogeneous catalysis (in oxidation, hydrogenation, etc.)

• NIR-emittingnanosheets of silicates can be used in the manufacture of optical fibers

• Manufactureof spin-based quantum films, nanojunctions, nanocapacitors, etc.

• Thin-layerspintronics

Inventor

Tina Salguero

 

Technology Development and IP Status

 

Tested in labscale with very good yields. Process is scalable.

Published USApplication: US-2015-0140331-A1

Country/Region

USA