SBIR Phase I: Purification of Metallic Nitride Nanomaterials by Chemical Separation

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This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop trimetallic-nitride-template metallofullerenes (trimetaspheres) for use as improved MRI contrast agents. The largest barrier to providing these trimetasphere materials in significant quantities is the lack of an economical, efficient means of separating these materials from undesirable empty-cage C60 and C70 fullerenes. To address this issue, the proposed effort offers innovative, ingenious solutions to the problem of large-scale synthesis and separation processes for these nanomaterials. The project tasks are 1) to increase generator throughput of trimetasphere-containing soot, 2) to advance vapor-phase deposition techniques as a prepurification step, and 3) to establish the feasibility of a chemical-separation process, which will enable large-scale nanomaterials production. The expectation is to totally remove HPLC from all stages of purification. Commercially, trimetaspheres are expected to find valuable applications in 1) improved medical care through novel imaging and diagnostic properties, 2) new pharmaceuticals, via high throughput screening, 3) faster and more productive internet use, through faster optical switches and components that provide higher bandwidth, 4) faster computers, through quantum computing devices built from nanomaterials, and 5) military devices including sensors, imaging devices, non-linear optical devices, new superconductors and variable capacitors.