Functionalized Nanoparticles and Their Use in Particle/Bulk Material Systems

• US 20080274356A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Zhou, Hao, Neal, F. Brent, Jones, Jamie N., Wilson, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/403
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/82 by IR- or Raman-data
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/51 Particles with a specific particle size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/62 Submicrometer sized, i.e. from 0.1-1 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/64 Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/407 Aluminium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/42 Clays
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 3/006 Combinations of treatments provided for in groups C09C3/04 - C09C3/12
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 3/04 Physical treatment, e.g. grinding, treatment with ultrasonic vibrations C09C3/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 Silicic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer

Abstract

A process for creating readily or highly dispersible nanoparticles on which chemically reactive functional groups or ligands have been placed. An ultra-high shear fluidic processor is used to change the size distribution of nanoparticle agglomerations and facilitate the formation of stable dispersions of such nanoparticles, as well as the placement of various chemically reactive functional groups or ligands on exposed surface areas of such nanoparticles. Such functionalized nanoparticle agglomerations have a broader size distribution (with a substantial increase in the proportion of smaller agglomerations), can exhibit enhanced dispersion characteristics and, when dispersed in various bulk materials, can impart to such bulk materials the desirable physical or chemical properties associated with the selected chemically active functional groups that have been attached to the surface areas of such agglomerations.

Claims

1. A multi-functionalized nanoparticle comprising:

a nanoparticle;

a first type of chemically functional group chemically bonded to at least a portion of the surface of the nanoparticle; and

,

a second type of chemically functional group chemically bonded to at least a portion of the surface of the nanoparticle, wherein the first and second chemically functional groups are substantially segregated on the surface of the nanoparticle.

2. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticle is a clay.

3. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 2, wherein the clay is an attapulgite clay.

4. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the multi-functionalized nanoparticles are dispersed in a bulk material.

5. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 4, wherein the bulk material is a polymeric.

6. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, further comprising at least two dissimilar bulk materials, wherein the multi-functionalized nanoparticles are located at the interface of the dissimilar bulk materials.

7. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 6, wherein the dissimilar bulk materials are liquid and the multi-functionalized nanoparticles are located at the liquid/liquid interface.

8. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, further comprising a third type of chemically functional group chemically bonded to at least a portion of the surface of the nanoparticle, wherein the first, second, and third chemically functional groups are substantially segregated on the surface of the nanoparticle.

9. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, further comprising a third type of chemically functional group chemically bonded to at least a portion of the surface of the nanoparticle, wherein the first chemically functional group is segregated from the second and third chemically functional groups on the surface of the nanoparticle.

10. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticle is a metal oxide.

11. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the first chemically functional group is hydrophilic and the second chemically functional group is hydrophobic.

12. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the first chemically functional group comprises reactive sites and the second chemically functional group is inert.

13. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the first chemically functional group comprises marked site and the second chemically functional group comprises unmarked site.

14. The multi-functionalized nanoparticle of claim 1, wherein the first chemically functional group has a positive charge and the second chemically functional group has a negative charge.