Metathesis Routes to Nitrides and Nanotubes

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

The main objective of this project is to develop new routes to important materials by designing rapid solid-state methasis (exchanged) reactions that use appropriate additives such as ammonium chloride to control temperature and pressure. Systems to be synthesized include indium nitride and its solid solutions with gallium nitride and aluminum nitride, which are expected to luminesce across the entire visible range form red to violet and beyond. Also, cubic molybdenum nitride, a hydrodesulfurizaiton catalyst, will be synthesized, and new routes of carbon nanotubes will be explored and optimized through the control of reaction temperature where a computer program will be developed to determine maximum reaction temperatures based on thermodynamic data. %%% This project is aimed at the control of pressure and temperature in metathesis reactions for the synthesis of a number of industrially relevant materials such as carbon nanotubes, encapsulated metals, silicon nitride, cubic boron nitride and molybdenum nitride that are difficult to prepare. These materials all have interesting optical, mechanical or catalytic properties. The students involved in this research will learn synthetic and characterization techniques, and they will have an opportunity to collaborate with national laboratory and industrial scientists. This unique integration of research and education will help to make these students highly competitive in the job market