Collaborative Research: Experimental and Computational Study of the Instabilities, Transport, and Self Assembly of Nanoscale Metallic Thin Films and Nanostructures

1235710/1235651 Kondic/Rack该项目专注于纳米级液态金属薄膜和其他结构的稳定性。纳秒脉冲激光熔化可以制备空间相关的纳米粒子组装，其主要目的是探索驱动这一过程的基本机制。该项目的特点是协同方法，包括基于连续介质流体力学的建模、有针对性的实验和支持分子动力学模拟。中心目标是利用仔细和彻底的实验研究以及纳米级液态金属薄膜的最新理论和计算模型来解决几个基本的科学问题，例如：如何开发合理简单但可预测的模型来描述与纳米级液态金属相关的力？多尺度建模(分子动力学和连续流体动力学)方法在多大程度上可以用来连接实验长度尺度？如何利用液态金属的相互作用在纳米尺度上促进自组装和自组织？为了解决这些问题，我们将研究石墨衬底上的铂-钚二元金属体系。该系统经过精心选择，因此可以进行互补的连续流体动力学和分子动力学模拟，以了解相关的界面势以及竞争的界面混合和凝固动力学。将合成薄膜和其他几何结构，以研究与导致纳米颗粒组装的不稳定性相关的固-液-气相互作用，研究凝固动力学对多功能纳米颗粒合成的影响，并探索将施加的热不稳定性作为定向组装的途径。实验工作将得到理论和计算工作的补充，涉及包括液-固相互作用势、热和相变效应以及扩散混合等在内的多维非线性模拟。该项目的成功完成将使人们在理解金属纳米结构的基本液态组装方面取得重大进展。纳米粒子的自定向组装具有重要应用的一个例子是太阳能电池器件的设计，其中已知金属粒子的大小和分布与等离子体与入射能量的耦合有关，在提高产量方面具有巨大的潜力。更广泛地说，纳米组装在许多领域都很重要，从能源到DNA测序。该项目还包括开发互补的连续和分子动力学模拟，这将允许在相关的空间和时间尺度之间架起桥梁，提供关于纳米尺度上连续统模拟的限制和适用性的一般见解。该项目将包括来自多个STEM学科的研究生和本科生，并将与阿根廷的一个研究小组进行国际合作。

1235710/1235651Kondic/RackThe project focuses on stability of liquid metal films and other structures on nanoscale. Nanosecond pulsed laser melting can produce spatially correlated nanoparticle assemblies, and the main goal is to explore the fundamental mechanisms driving this process. The distinguishing feature of this project is synergetic approach including modeling based on continuum fluid mechanics, targeted experiments, and supporting molecular dynamics simulations. The central goal is to leverage careful and thorough experimental investigations and state of the art theoretical and computational modeling of nanoscale liquid metal films to address several basic scientific questions such as: How to develop reasonably simple but predictive models to describe the forces relevant to liquid metals on nanoscale? To which degree can multi-scale modeling (molecular dynamics and continuum fluid dynamics) approaches be used to bridge experimental length scales? How to use the interactions characterizing molten liquid metals to promote self-assembly and self-organization at the nanoscale? To address these questions, the platinum-ruthenium binary metal system on graphite substrates will be investigated. The system was carefully chosen so complementary continuum fluid dynamics and molecular dynamics simulations can be performed to understand the relevant interface potentials as well as competing interfacial mixing and solidification dynamics. Thin films and other geometries will be synthesized to investigate solid-liquid-vapor interactions relevant to instabilities leading to nanoparticle assemblies, study the effects that the solidification dynamics has on synthesis of multi-functional nano particles, and to explore imposed thermal instabilities as a route to directed assembly. Experimental efforts will be complemented by theoretical and computational work, involving multi-dimensional nonlinear simulations including liquid-solid interaction potentials, thermal and phase change effects, and diffusive mixing, among other effects. Successful completion of the project will allow for significant advancement in under- standing of fundamental liquid phase assembly of metallic nanostructures. One example of an application where self- and directed assembly of nano particles is of significant importance is the design of solar cell devices where it is known that the size and distribution of metallic particles is related to plasmon coupling to incident energy, with the huge potential in increasing the yield. More generally, nano-assembly is of importance in a variety of fields, ranging from energy related to DNA sequencing. The project also includes development of complementary continuous and molecular dynamics simulations which will allow for bridging of relevant spatial and temporal scales, providing general insight regarding limits and applicability of continuum modeling on nanoscale. The project will include graduate and undergraduate students from multiple STEM disciplines and will involve international collaboration with a research group in Argentina.