Production of nanoparticles using homogeneous milling and associated products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9321700-B2
Application number	US-201213567757-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2012
Priority date	Aug 4, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A method of producing nanoparticles can comprise milling a plurality of milling bodies sufficient to produce the nanoparticles from exterior surfaces of the plurality of milling bodies. In this manner, the milling bodies are simultaneously the milling media and the feedstock for production of nanoparticles such that additional solids are not present during milling. Nanoparticles can be readily formed and optional milling agent and capping agents can be provided to stabilize and/or customize the nanoparticles for a particular application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing nanoparticles, comprising: milling a plurality of milling bodies in the presence of a milling agent sufficient to produce the nanoparticles from exterior surfaces of the plurality of milling bodies, wherein the milling is substantially free of added solids other than the plurality of milling bodies.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surfaces comprise at least one of aluminum, iron, steel, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, nickel, chromium, zinc, oxides thereof, and alloys thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies are compositionally homogeneous.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies are core-shell structures.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the exterior surfaces of the core-shell structure are formed of a precious metal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies include a first plurality of milling bodies having exterior surfaces of a first metal and a second plurality of milling bodies having exterior surfaces of a second metal which is different than the first metal, such that the nanoparticles comprise both the first and second metals.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies are substantially spherical in shape.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies are substantially cylindrical in shape.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of milling bodies have an initial size such that their largest dimension has a measure of about 0.125 inch to about 0.5 inch.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 500 nm.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 150 nm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent is has a dipole moment of greater than 0.0.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent has a dipole moment of greater than 0.3.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent has at least one moiety selected from the group of a carboxylic acid, a ketone, an alcohol, a nitrile, an amine, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent includes at least one of toluene, acetonitrile, diethylamine, 3-pentanone, methylene chloride, benzylamine, acetone, ionic liquid, ethanol, and alcohols.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent is substantially non-reactive with the nanoparticles and the milling bodies.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the milling agent is free of oxygen.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a capping agent which binds to the nanoparticles sufficient to substantially reduce oxidation of exposed surfaces of the nanoparticles.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the capping agent is added during the milling.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the capping agent includes at least one of oleic acid, octanethiol, dodecanethiol, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, mercaptohexanoic acid, 1-mercapto-(triethylene glycol) methyl, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based amine, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), folic acid, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB), oleylamine, sodium acrylate, citrate, starch, dodecylamine, benzylamine, carboxylic compounds, amines, and thiols.

21. A method of producing nanoparticles, comprising: milling a plurality of milling bodies in the presence of a milling agent sufficient to produce the nanoparticles from exterior surfaces of the plurality of milling bodies, wherein the plurality of milling bodies include a first plurality of milling bodies having exterior surfaces of a first metal and a second plurality of milling bodies having exterior surfaces of a second metal which is different than the first metal, such that the nanoparticles comprise both the first and second metals.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the exterior surfaces comprise at least one of aluminum, iron, steel, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, nickel, chromium, zinc, oxides thereof, and alloys thereof.

Assignees

• Anderson Scott L
• Mcmahon Brandon
• Perez Jesus Paulo L
• Univ Utah Res Found

Inventors

• Anderson Scott L
• Mcmahon Brandon
• Perez Jesus Paulo L

Classifications

• B22F1/056

  Submicron particles having a size above 100 nm up to 300 nm · CPC title

• B22F1/054

  Nanosized particles · CPC title

• C22C21/00 Primary

  Alloys based on aluminium · CPC title

• B22F9/04

  starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling ({C22C1/1084 takes precedence}; crushing, grinding or milling, in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B02C) · CPC title

• B02C17/20

  Disintegrating members · CPC title