Method for synthesizing nanowires and nanofoam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776248-B2
Application number	US-201514604309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A method for making a plurality of metallic nanowires includes combining a metallic precursor with a solvent to form a metallic precursor solution. A quantity of oxalic acid is added to the metallic precursor solution to form a reduction solution. A plurality of nanowires are precipitated out from the reduction solution.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for making a plurality of metallic nanowires, the method comprising:
combining a first metallic precursor with a first solvent to form a metallic precursor solution;
adding a first quantity of oxalic acid to the first metallic precursor solution to form a first reduction solution containing a mixture of the first metallic precursor solution and the first quantity of oxalic acid; and
precipitating a first plurality of nanowires out from the first reduction solution;
wherein the first plurality of nanowires comprise substantially pure nickel.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:
agitating the mixture of oxalic acid and the first metallic precursor solution.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:
heating the mixture of oxalic acid and the first metallic precursor solution.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:
washing the first plurality of precipitated nanowires.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the washing step includes a filtration portion and a centrifuging portion.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:
combining the first plurality of precipitated nanowires into a porous nanostructure.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first metallic precursor solution is an aqueous solution comprising a first salt providing a nickel species.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises ethylene glycol (CH 2 (OH) 2 ).

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
combining a second metallic precursor with a second solvent to form a second metallic precursor solution;
adding a second quantity of oxalic acid to the second metallic precursor solution to form a second reduction solution; and
precipitating a second plurality of nanowires out from the second reduction solution.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second plurality of nanowires comprises one or more of: Fe, Co, Cu, W, and Mo.

11. A method for making a nanocellular foam, the method comprising:
combining a first metallic precursor with a solvent to form a metallic precursor solution;
adding a quantity of oxalic acid solution to the metallic precursor solution to form a reduction solution, thereby causing a plurality of metallic nanowires to precipitate out from the reduction solution; and
arranging the plurality of precipitated nanowires into a porous nanocellular foam.

12. The method of claim 11 , and further comprising:
agitating the mixture of oxalic acid and the precursor solution.

13. The method of claim 11 , and further comprising:
heating the mixture of oxalic acid and the precursor solution.

14. The method of claim 11 , and further comprising:
washing the precipitated nanowires.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the washing step includes a filtration portion and a centrifuging portion.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of metallic nanowires comprise nickel.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the metallic precursor solution comprises a first metallic salt including a nickel species dissolved in water and ethylene glycol.

18. The method of claim 16 , and further comprising:
combining a second metallic precursor with at least one of the first metallic precursor and the solvent to form the metallic precursor solution.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second metallic precursor comprises a second metallic salt dissolved in the mixture of water and ethylene glycol.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the metallic nanowires further comprise a metal selected from Cr, V, W, and Mo.

21. A method for making a plurality of metallic nanowires, the method comprising:
combining a first metallic precursor with a first solvent to form a metallic precursor solution;
adding a first quantity of oxalic acid to the first metallic precursor solution to form a first reduction solution containing a mixture of the first metallic precursor solution and the first quantity of oxalic acid; and
precipitating a first plurality of nanowires out from the first reduction solution;
wherein the solvent comprises ethylene glycol (CH 2 (OH) 2 ).

22. The method of claim 21 and further comprising:
agitating and heating the mixture of oxalic acid and the first metallic precursor solution.

23. The method of claim 21 and further comprising:
washing the first plurality of nanowires;
wherein the washing step includes a filtration portion and a centrifuging portion.

24. The method of claim 21 and further comprising:
combining the first plurality of precipitated nanowires into a porous nanostructure.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein:
the first plurality of metallic nanowires comprise substantially pure nickel; and
the first metallic precursor solution is an aqueous solution comprising a first salt providing a nickel species.

26. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
combining a second metallic precursor with a second solvent to form a second metallic precursor solution;
adding a second quantity of oxalic acid to the second metallic precursor solution to form a second reduction solution; and
precipitating a second plurality of nanowires out from the second reduction solution;
wherein the second plurality of nanowires comprises one or more of: Fe, Co, Cu, W, and Mo.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Li Weina
• Birnkrant Michael J
• Beals James T

Classifications

• B22F1/0547

  Nanofibres or nanotubes · CPC title

• C22C1/0433

  Nickel- or cobalt-based alloys · CPC title

• B22F9/24 Primary

  starting from liquid metal compounds, e.g. solutions · CPC title

• B22F3/002

  Manufacture of articles essentially made from metallic fibres · CPC title

• B22F1/0025

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic