Interlinked Nanorod Coatings

本研究项目探索了一种通过利用物理气相沉积过程中的原子阴影效应来创建高强度多孔涂层的新方法。其关键思想是利用来自多个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联，从而产生三维互联的纳米棒网络。该方法建立在最近发展的同时反向扫视角度沉积(SO-GREAD)技术的基础上，该技术利用视线沉积过程中的局部原子阴影效应来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。同时，我们将结合从头算、分子动力学和晶格蒙特卡罗方法来模拟纳米涂层的生长过程。这项研究将使人们在实验和理论上对制备纳米结构涂层的新方法有一个基本的科学理解。新方法将适用于广泛的材料体系，从延性金属到耐腐蚀陶瓷，潜在的应用领域包括未来核聚变和裂变反应堆的抗辐射涂层，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的压力传感器的活性纳米结构。该项目的一个完整的教育部分侧重于纳米科学和技术方面的研究生培训，并探索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.