Interlinked Nanorod Coatings

该研究项目探索了一种新的方法，通过利用物理气相沉积过程中的原子遮蔽效应来创建高强度多孔涂层。其关键思想是采用来自多个来源的同时定向沉积来构建纳米棒阵列，并顺序地改变沉积角度以通过受控的棒分支和棒合并来引起互连，从而产生三维互连的纳米棒网络。所提出的方法建立在最近开发的同步相反掠射角沉积（SO-GLAD）技术，该技术利用局部原子阴影效应在视线沉积，以创建独特的自组织多组分纳米结构阵列。纳米棒网络将在专用的超高真空溅射沉积系统中沉积。与此同时，生长将使用从头算，分子动力学和晶格蒙特卡罗方法相结合的模拟。这项研究将导致基本的科学理解，无论是在实验和理论上，一种新的方法来创建纳米结构涂层。这种新方法将适用于广泛的材料系统，从韧性金属到耐腐蚀陶瓷，具有潜在的应用，如未来核聚变和裂变反应堆中的抗辐射涂层，燃料电池的多孔导电催化剂支撑结构，以及纳米机器人和人造皮肤中压力传感器的活性纳米结构。该项目的一个不可分割的教育组成部分侧重于纳米科学和技术的研究生培训，并探讨在本科课程中引入纳米制造概念。

This research project explores a new approach for creating high-strength porous coatings by exploiting atomic shadowing effects during physical vapor deposition. The key idea is to employ simultaneous directional deposition from multiple sources to build nanorod arrays, and to sequentially vary the deposition angles to cause interlinking by controlled rod-branching and rod merging, producing three-dimensional interconnected nanorod networks. The proposed approach builds on a recently developed simultaneous opposite glancing angle deposition (SO-GLAD) technique which utilizes local atomic shadowing effects during line-of-sight deposition to create unique self-organized multi-component nanostructure arrays. Nanorod networks will be deposited in a dedicated ultra-high vacuum sputter deposition system. In parallel, the growth will be simulated using a combination of ab initio, molecular dynamics, and lattice Monte Carlo approaches.This research will lead to the basic scientific understanding, both in experiment and theory, of a new approach to create nanostructured coatings. The new approach will be applicable to a wide range of materials systems, ranging from ductile metals to corrosion-resistant ceramics, with potential applications as radiation-resistant coatings in future nuclear fusion and fission reactors, as porous conductive catalyst support structures for fuel-cells, and as active nanostructures for pressure sensors in nanorobots and artificial skins. An integral educational component of the project focuses on graduate student training in nanoscience and technology, and explores the introduction of nanomanufacturing concepts in an undergraduate course.