Method for synthesis of colloidal nanoparticles

• US 20060061017A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Gerbec, Jeffrey A., Magana, Donny, Strouse, Geoffrey Fielding
• Granted Patent: US 7,615,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/489
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/00 Colloid chemistry, e.g. the production of colloidal materials or their solutions, not otherwise provided for; Making microcapsules or microballoons
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/126 Microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00047 Ionic liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/806 for laboratory use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/84 Manufacture, treatment, or detection of nanostructure

Abstract

A method for synthesis of high quality colloidal nanoparticles using comprises a high heating rate process. Irradiation of single mode, high power, microwave is a particularly well suited technique to realize high quality semiconductor nanoparticles. The use of microwave radiation effectively automates the synthesis, and more importantly, permits the use of a continuous flow microwave reactor for commercial preparation of the high quality colloidal nanoparticles.

Claims

1. A method for chemically synthesizing nanoparticles, comprising a heating process of a reaction system, which comprises precursors, passivants, and/or solvents in a reactor, in which a temperature of constituent elements is ramped at 30°

C./min or higher.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein microwave irradiation is used for the heating process.

3. The method of claims 1 or 2, wherein a dielectric constant of a main constituent element is 20 or lower.

5. The method of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the nanoparticles are metal, semiconductor, or insulator.

6. The nanoparticles of claim 5.

7. The nanoparticles of claim 6, wherein the nanoparticles have organic or inorganic compounds attached to their surface.

4. A method for chemically synthesizing nanoparticles, wherein a dielectric constant of a main constituent element is 20 or lower.

8. A method for synthesizing nanoparticles, comprising:

preparing one or more constituent elements at or near room temperature;

heating the prepared constituent elements to an elevated temperature using high-rate heating, in order to create a reaction mixture;

stabilizing the reaction mixture at the elevated temperature; and

cooling the stabilized reaction mixture to a reduced temperature using high-rate cooling,

so that nanoparticles are synthesized.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a dielectric constant of a main constituent element is 20 or lower.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the room temperature is below 100°

C.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the heating step is performed using microwave irradiation.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the high heating rate comprises a rate of 30°

C./min or higher.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the high cooling rate comprises a rate of 80°

C. /min or higher.

14. Nanoparticles grown according to the method of claim 8.