STTR Phase I: Novel Nanocoated Ferromagnetic Materials

这个小型企业技术转移第一阶段项目将应用新的原子层沉积(ALD)技术，用于包裹用于航空航天应用和药物输送的某些先进材料的超细颗粒表面。超细铁颗粒将被纳米氧化铝覆盖，提供50、25、12.5、6.3、3.2、1.6和0.8纳米的薄膜厚度。颗粒纳米涂层将在科罗拉多大学开发的流态化过程中进行。将对生成的颗粒进行膜厚、颗粒大小分布、表面积和膜覆盖均匀度的表征。将评估它们的矫顽力、剩余磁化强度、磁滞损耗和抗氧化性。将制备纳米包覆铁颗粒填充的环氧复合材料，并对其电磁传输/反射性能进行测试。在商业上，这种强大而通用的加工方法可以将超细颗粒包裹在陶瓷纳米层中，提供与更传统的方法相比无与伦比的涂层厚度(0.1 nm)控制。这种在单个初级粒子上的超薄、化学结合、保形涂层为材料提供了前所未有的机会。可预见的应用包括用于微波透镜天线的人工介质的新型铁磁材料、雷达截面积减小材料和药物输送。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will apply novel Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology for the encapsulating of ultrafine particle surfaces used in certain advanced materials for aerospace applications and drug delivery. Ultrafine sized iron particles will be nanocoated with alumina providing film thicknesses of 50, 25, 12.5, 6.3, 3.2, 1.6, and 0.8 nanometers. The particle nanocoating will be carried out in a fluidized bed process developed at the University of Colorado. The produced particles will be characterized for film thickness, particle size distribution, surface area, and film coverage uniformity. They will be evaluated for coercivity, remanent magnetization, hysteresis loss, and oxidation resistance. Nanocoated iron particle filled epoxy composites will be fabricated and tested for electromagnetic transmission/reflection. Commercially, this powerful and versatile processing method can encapsulate ultrafine particles with ceramic nanolayers to offer unparalleled control of coating thickness ( 0.1 nm) relative to more conventional methods. Such ultrathin, chemically bonded, conformal coatings on individual primary particles provide for materials opportunities never before realized . Envisioned applications include novel ferromagnetic materials for artificial dielectrics for microwave lens antennas, radar crossection reduction materials, and drug delivery.