I-Corps: Novel Flame Base Precursors for Controlled Catalyst Structure

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

For many advanced and diverse applications, ranging from chemical sensing, catalysis, and magnetic recording, current research is increasingly focused on exploiting the high surface-to-volume ratios of nanoparticles as a framework for the assembly of complex nanomaterials. Structures including core/shell nanoparticles and multicomponent hierarchical assemblies can exhibit enhanced properties and new functionality arising from the close proximity of chemically-distinct, nanostructured components. Developing scalable fabrication processes that provide the necessary control of nanoparticle structure for enhanced activity presents significant techno-economic challenges for bringing nanoparticles to large- scale industrial catalytic applications. The proposed technology with controlled precursor injection and tightly controlled reaction zones for nanoparticle core-shell formation provides a unique continuous process approach for scaling up core-shell nanocatalyst fabrication and hierarchical assemblies at costs that are relevant for large-scale industrial applications. The proposed Reactive Spray Deposition Technology (RSDT) technology is a thin-film deposition process that overcomes many of the shortcomings of traditional vapor deposition techniques while also replacing conventional multiple step wet processing manufacturing yielding equal or better quality coatings at a lower cost. The RSDT not only provides high quality active films/coatings (e.g.catalysts/electrodes), it also reduces the manpower, catalyst loading amount, energy consumption and number of processing steps required to assemble the films. More specifically, RSDT combines materials synthesis and deposition into a single step with several control features, replacing at least 5 unit operations in a conventional electrode manufacturing scheme.