Method of synthesizing a material exhibiting desired microstructure characteristics based on chemical dealloying one or more group i or group ii elements from an alloy and method of synthesizing nanocomposites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019040497-A1
Application number	US-201816052544-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2018
Priority date	Aug 2, 2017
Publication date	Feb 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an embodiment, an alloy is exposed to a hydrophilic solvent at least until at least one Group I or Group II element is substantially removed so as to produce a nanomaterial that substantially includes a metal, semimetal or non-metal material and that exhibits a desired set of microstructure characteristics. The hydrophilic solvent is configured to be reactive with respect to the at least one Group I or Group II element and substantially unreactive with respect to the metal, semimetal or non-metal material. In another embodiment, an active material is infiltrated into pores of a nanoporous metal or metal oxide, after which the infiltrated nanoporous metal or metal oxide material is annealed to produce an active material-based nanocomposite material. A protective coating layer is deposited on at least part of a surface of the active material-based nanocomposite material.

First claim

1 . A method of synthesizing a nanomaterial, comprising:
exposing an alloy comprising (i) a metal, semimetal or non-metal material and (ii) at least one Group I or Group II element to a hydrophilic solvent at least until the at least one Group I or Group II element is substantially removed so as to produce the nanomaterial that substantially includes the metal, semimetal or non-metal material and that exhibits a desired set of microstructure characteristics, wherein the hydrophilic solvent is configured to be reactive with respect to the at least one Group I or Group II element and substantially unreactive with respect to the metal, semimetal or non-metal material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the exposing, the at least one Group I or Group II element constitutes an atomic fraction of the alloy in a range from about 5% to about 90%.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one Group I or Group II element includes at least one Group II element.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one Group II element includes Ca.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing further exposes the alloy to at least one catalyst, at least one free radical initiator, or a combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic solvent comprises water, alcohol or a mixture thereof.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic solvent additionally comprises an organic solvent.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic solvent comprises an organic or inorganic salt.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic solvent comprises an acid.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic solvent comprises a surfactant.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing exposes the hydrophilic solvent to the alloy while the hydrophilic solvent is in the form of a gas, a liquid, or a combination thereof.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting, from among a plurality of possible microstructure characteristics for nanomaterials that include the metal, semimetal or non-metal material, the desired set of microstructure characteristics, the desired set of microstructure characteristics including less than all of the plurality of possible microstructure characteristics; and determining one or more parameters that are capable of causing the nanomaterial to exhibit the one or more desired microstructure characteristics if used in association with the exposing, wherein the one or more parameters include pH, temperature, pressure, a composition of the hydrophilic solvent, and a time of exposure of the alloy to the hydrophilic solvent.

13 . The method of claim 1 , the desired set of microstructure characteristics include the presence of nanopores, nanoflowers, nanoflakes, dentrites, nanowires, nanowhiskers, nanostrips, nanotubes and/or microparticles, microstructures having needle-liked shapes or rod-like shapes, or any combination thereof.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the alloy is arranged as a powder prior to being exposed to the hydrophilic solvent.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal, semimetal or non-metal material includes Cu, Ag, Au, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Al, Zn, Ga, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, P, La, Ce, Gd, or a combination thereof.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal, semimetal or non-metal material includes B, Si, P, As, Ge, Se, Te or a combination thereof.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a coating or shell on a surface of the nanomaterial.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
chemically or electrochemically reducing the nanomaterial to a metallic form.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
depositing a coating or shell on a surface of the nanomaterial to protect against a change in shape or form of the nanomaterial during the chemical or electrochemical reduction process.

20 . A method of synthesizing an active material-based nanocomposite material, comprising:
infiltrating an active material into pores of a nanoporous metal or metal oxide material via solution-based deposition, vapor-based deposition, or by producing the active material by at least partially converting a surface of the pores via treatment in chemically active gaseous media at a temperature range from about 0° C. to about 700° C.; annealing the infiltrated nanoporous metal or metal oxide material to produce the active material-based nanocomposite material; and depositing a protective coating layer on at least part of a surface of the active material-based nanocomposite material.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
producing the nanoporous metal or metal oxide material by chemical dealloying.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the infiltrating is implemented via solution-based deposition.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the infiltrating is implemented via vapor-based deposition.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the infiltrating is implemented via the at least partial pore surface conversion.

25 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the nanoporous material is nanoporous Cu.

26 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the active material comprises Si or Sn or lithium titanate (LTO).

27 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the active material comprises CuF 2 or FeF 3 or Cu—Fe—F or Cu—Fe—O—Fe composition.

28 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the nanocomposite material comprises carbon.

29 . A battery or a supercapacitor electrode comprising the active material-based nanocomposite material produced according to the method of claim 20 .

Assignees

• Sila Nanotechnologies Inc
• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Yushin Gleb
• Turcheniuk Kostiantyn
• Benson James

Classifications

• C22C3/005 Primary

  Separation of the constituents of alloys · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• C22B5/14

  fluidised material · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title