Nano technologies - Scalable Methods of Producing Three-Dimensional Nanocomposites for Energy, Semiconductor, and Advanced Manufacturing Applications

Introduction

Currently, the production of nanoparticles and nanostructured films is difficult because nanoparticles are difficult to produce in large quantities and are prone to agglomeration. Agglomeration is usually prevented by using a surfactant; however, the surfactant can interfere with the performance of the nanoparticles. For many practical devices, nanoparticles must be deposited to produce thick films. This is difficult to achieve using existing manufacturing techniques for nanoparticles.

Invention Description

Specifically, this technology implements a method to facilitate the production of large quantities of shelled, alloy, compound, or composite nanoparticles. It can directly write the nanoparticles into patterned, nanostructured films with three-dimensional lines and structures without the need for an intermediate surfactant. Using a laser technique that is highly controllable and customizable, a variety of nanoparticle compositions can be created with incredible accuracy. Mean particle size can be controlled and manipulated with this process, which can fabricate nanoparticles of almost all inorganic solids. The nanoparticles produced have superior physical properties to those currently produced and are as pure as the feedstock materials.

Benefits

• High production rates
• Versatile production method
• Product as pure as feed material
• Environmentally friendly process
• No chemical byproducts
• Superior physical properties
• Compatible with semiconductor processing techniques

Features

• Nanoparticle size can be controlled
• No need for a surfactant in nanoparticle production
• Thicker nanostructured films are produced
• 2D and 3D structures can be incorporated with ease into nanostructured films
• 1000x decrease in feature (e.g., lines) size on films
• Higher deposition rates
• Low-temperature synthesis

Market Potential/Applications

Markets that would benefit from this technology include electronics, telecommunications, photonics, semiconductors, and actuators. Applications for this technology within these markets include magnetostrictive films for actuators, transducers, and sensors; thermoelectric devices; corrosion resistant interconnects; high-power lasers; valves for biofluidic systems; and nonlinear photonic devices. Many useful devices like micropumps, microvalves, and microactuators require thicker films that can be produced by this technology. The improvements described will result in better performance in ink-jet printer heads, optical beam defectors, and ultrasonic devices.

Development Stage

Lab/bench prototype completed.

IP Status

One U.S. Patent Application filed

UT Researcher

Desiderio Kovar, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Michael F. Becker, Ph.D., Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin John W. Keto, Ph.D., Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin

Contact:

University os texas,
Austin, USA
Website : www.otc.utexas.edu

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