Rapid Solid-State Metathesis Routes to Nanostructured Silicon-Germanium

Rapid production of unfunctionalized nanostructured siliconDoes not result in the production of carbon-based capping ligandsProduction is readily scaled up

ThermoelectricsSolar CellsBatteriesBiological Imaging

Researchers at UCLA and JPL have identified a method for producing unfunctionalized nanostructured silicon and silicon-germanium through a solid state metathesis reaction that is very efficient and inexpensive. The method does not require any expensive equipment and instead relies on favorable thermodynamics to drive the formation of the nanostructured materials. Overcoming the previous limitations of the manufacturing methods could lead to cost-effective utilization of these materials device applications focusing on energy storage and energy conversion.

8808658

Background

Silicon has long been revered for its unique semiconductor properties, and is used heavily in advanced electronic device fabrication of all types. Nanostructured silicon is now being used for next generation devices that take advantage of the material's unique properties in new and exciting ways; however current manufacturing methods for producing nanostructured silicon have their limitations. These current methods, which include pyrolsis of silane, pulsed laser ablation, MOCVD, MBE, plasma etching, and electrochemistry, can involve complex equipment and toxic precursors and as such can be expensive and difficult to scale up.

Additional Technologies by these Inventors

• Rapid Bulk Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphite Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles
• Enantioseparation of Amino Acids Using a Chiral Recognition Polymer
• Polyanaline Nanofibers as Hydrogen Sensors
• Polyaniline Nanofiber Composite Materials: New Chemical Sensors for Phosgene
• Nanostructured Polymer Electrodes
• Mechanochemical Synthesis of Mg2Si and Related Compounds and Alloys
• Polyanaline Nanofibers

Tech ID/UC Case

21581/2010-656-0

Related Cases

2010-656-0

美国

桌面版