NANOPARTICLES WTIH GRAFTED ORGANIC MOLECULES

• US 20080220175A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Innovalight, Inc. (Corteva, Inc.), Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Innovalight, Inc. (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rogojina, Elena, Jurbergs, David, Kortshagen, Uwe, Mangolini, Lorenzo, Li, Xuegeng, Anthony, Rebecca J.
• Application Number:
  US12/017,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20080220175A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/430.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/088 giving rise to electric discharges for heating purposes H05B7/00; for the production of ozone C01B13/11, H01T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0809 employing two or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0835 substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0847 Glow discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0849 Corona pulse discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0869 Feeding or evacuating the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0875 Gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0886 Gas-solid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0896 Cold plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/02 Silicon forming single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure C30B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less

Abstract

An apparatus for producing grafted Group IV nanoparticles is provided and includes a source of Group IV nanoparticles. A chamber is configured to carry the nanoparticles in a gas phase and has an inlet and an exit. The inlet configured to couple to an organic molecule source which is configured to provide organic molecules to the chamber. A plasma source is arranged to generate a plasma. The plasma causes the organic molecules to break down and/or activate in the chamber and bond to the nanoparticles. A method of producing grafted Group IV nanoparticles is also provided and includes receiving Group IV nanoparticles in a gas phase, creating a plasma with the nanoparticles, and allowing the organic molecules to break down and/or become activated in the plasma and bond with the nanoparticles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing grafted Group IV nanoparticles, comprising:

a source of Group IV nanoparticles;

a chamber configured to carry the nanoparticles in a gas phase having an inlet and an exit;

an organic molecule source coupled to the inlet configured to provide organic molecules to the chamber;

a plasma source arranged to generate a plasma; and

wherein the plasma causes the organic molecules to break down and/or become activated in the chamber and bond to the particles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one electrode coupled to the chamber and a radio frequency (RF) signal source coupled to the electrode configured to create a plasma to break down and/or activate organic molecules in the chamber whereby organic molecules in the chamber bond to the nanoparticles.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including a second electrode coupled to the chamber and driven by the radio frequency (RF) signal source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a filter coupled to the exit from the chamber arranged to receive particles from in the chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the filter comprises a wire mesh.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the organic molecule source includes a gas source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the organic molecule source includes a liquid precursor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein organic molecules are selected from the group of organic molecules consisting of 1-dodecene;

Dodecane;

Octyl-alcohol;

1-hexene;

1-hexyne;

Hexane;

Hexyl-alcohol;

Hexyl-amine;

1-pentene;

Acrylic acid;

Allylamine;

Ethylene-Diamine;

Decyl-aldehyde (Decanal);

Ethylene-glycol;

compounds with saturated carbon bonds;

compounds with one or more aromatic rings;

compounds with unsaturated terminal functional group;

alcohols (—

OH), thiols (—

SH), amines (—

NH₂), aldehydes)-CH═

O), carboxylic acids (—

COOH);

compounds with one or more aromatic rings or unsaturated terminal functional group and with more than one of the same functional group present in the same molecule;

compounds with one or more aromatic rings or unsaturated terminal functional group and with different functional groups present in the same molecule.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the organic molecule source includes a solid precursor or a gaseous precursor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inlet for the organic molecule source is positioned in an afterglow of a plasma of the nanoparticles.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles are generated from the nanoparticles sources consisting of plasmas, thermal methods, laser pyrolysis, laser photolysis, laser ablation, liquid phase reactions, combustion processes and flame processes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the Group IV nanoparticles comprise doped nanoparticles.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the Group IV nanoparticles comprise silicon or germanium.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plasma also provides electromagnetic radiation (such as visible or ultraviolet radiation) to assist bonding of the organic molecules to the nanoparticles.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 including a second source of nanoparticles.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 including a second organic molecule source.

17. A method of producing grafted Group IV nanoparticles, comprising:

receiving Group IV nanoparticles in a gas phase;

creating a plasma to immerse the nanoparticles in;

providing organic molecules to the nanoparticles; and

allowing the organic molecules to break down and/or become activated in the plasma and bond with the nanoparticles.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving nanoparticles comprises receiving doped nanoparticles.

18. The method of claim 18 including collecting nanoparticles in a filter from the exit of the chamber.

19. The method of claim 18 including applying an RF signal to an electrode to form the plasma.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein providing organic molecules comprises providing a liquid, solid or gaseous precursor.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic molecules are acetylene or methane.

23. The method of claim 18 including injecting a gas into a liquid precursor.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic molecules are provided in an afterglow of a plasma of the nanoparticles.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the Group IV nanoparticles comprises silicon or germanium.

26. The method of claim 18 including using the plasma to also provide a source of radiation to assist bonding of the organic molecules to the nanoparticles.

21. The method of claim 21 including injecting a gas into the liquid precursor to thereby bubble the liquid precursor and provide the organic molecules.