EAGER: Preparation of Free Standing Quasicrystalline Nanoparticles

技术综述：这一迫切需要的项目旨在通过化学和电化学方法从适当退火的锆基非晶合金中获得自由站立的准晶纳米颗粒。一些锆基非晶合金在晶化初期会析出亚稳准晶纳米颗粒。这些颗粒嵌入到非晶态基质中，并在进一步热处理后转变为稳定的晶相。沉淀颗粒的大小从几纳米到100纳米不等。这些纳米颗粒将通过化学和电化学方法从无定形基质中分离出来。对于已证实存在准晶纳米粒子析出的锆基非晶合金，将进行化学或电化学刻蚀。无定形基质将被优先去除，使纳米颗粒落入溶液中，然后通过过滤将其回收。实验条件将得到优化。由于其尺寸减小和独特的原子构型，富锆颗粒有望显示出新的性质。非技术摘要：本项目合成的颗粒代表了一类新的材料，在基础研究和潜在的医学应用方面都有兴趣，或者作为储氢材料。由于它们的纳米尺寸，这些纳米颗粒的性质预计将不同于它们的正常结晶和/或非晶态对应物。本项目的成功可能会刺激对这种颗粒的需求，用于商业开发或启动与其他领域的研究人员的联合项目。目前的项目将对克拉里昂大学的教学和研究活动产生重大影响，并将激发附近机构对纳米技术的兴趣。四名本科生将在不同的阶段参与这个项目，在一所以教学为主的大学的环境中，提供宝贵的机会来解决现实世界的问题。除了在同行评议的期刊上发表文章和在专业会议上发表演讲外，结果还将在纳米技术课程和校园范围内的研讨会系列中介绍。克拉里昂大学与当地的初中和高中有着非常密切的关系。这一项目的成果将向这些学校的师生介绍。本项目的首席研究员是宾夕法尼亚州立大学国家科学基金会纳米技术应用和职业知识(NACK)中心的活跃成员。该项目的结果也将传达给NACK中心。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This EAGER project is aimed at obtaining free standing quasicrystalline nanoparticles from properly annealed Zirconium-based amorphous alloys through chemical and electrochemical approaches. It is known that metastable quasicrystalline nanoparticles precipitate during the initial crystallization of some Zr-based amorphous alloys. These particles are embedded in the amorphous matrix and transform to stable crystalline phases upon further annealing. The size of the precipitated particles ranges from several to a 100 nanometers. The separation of these nanoparticles from the amorphous matrix will be carried out by chemical and electrochemical approaches. A Zr-based amorphous alloy, in which the precipitation of quasicrystalline nanoparticles has been confirmed, will be either etched chemically or electrochemically. The amorphous matrix will be removed preferentially, enabling the nanoparticles to fall into the solution, after which they will be recovered through filtering. The experimental conditions will be optimized. Due to their reduced sizes and unique atomic configurations, the Zr-rich particles are expected to exhibit novel properties.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The particles synthesized in the present project represent a new class of material and are of interest for both fundamental studies and potential medicinal applications or as hydrogen storage materials. The properties of these nanoparticles are expected to differ from their normal crystalline and/or amorphous counterparts because of their nanometer size. The success of the present project could stimulate the demand for such particles for commercial exploitation or for the initiation of joint projects with researchers in other fields. The present project will have a significant impact on the teaching and research activities at Clarion University and will stimulate interest in nanotechnology in nearby institutions. Four undergraduate students will be involved in this project at different stages, providing valuable opportunities to work on real-world problems within the environment of a predominantly teaching university. In addition to publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional meetings, the results will be introduced in a nanotechnology course and in a campus-wide seminar series. Clarion University has a very close relationship with local middle and high schools. The results of this project will be introduced to teachers and students in these schools. The principal investigator of the present project is an active member of the National Science Foundation's Nanotechnology Application and Career Knowledge (NACK) Center at Pennsylvania State University. The results of this project will also be communicated to the NACK Center.