SNM: Scalable Production and Processing of High-Quality Metal Sulfide Nanoparticles into Energy Storage and Capture Devices

纳米技术的快速发展产生了巨大的应用期望。人们越来越认识到，除非解决有关可扩展制造和设备集成的挑战，否则纳米技术的快速进展可能会停滞不前。为了应对这些挑战，该项目旨在通过开发高质量纳米颗粒的第一个大规模液相合成来解决阻碍纳米颗粒技术领域进步的障碍，并展示其集成到设备中。这项工作将代表通过可制造方法实现基于纳米颗粒的技术的方法的一步变化。关键是使用了以前只能用于水相合成的反应前体。PI将首先通过金属硫化物的生产来展示这种技术。该方法适用于多种单分散金属硫化物纳米颗粒，如Cu 2S、CdS、SnS、ZnS、MnS、Ag 2S、Bi 2S 3和CuInS 2，并将扩展到其他材料体系（例如，磷化物）。这将有利于半导体和半金属胶体纳米晶在高科技器件中的应用。 该项目的智力优势包括：1）该方法是一种低温、空气稳定的合成方法，具有高转化率，能够降低生产成本并集成到温度敏感工艺中; 2）开发公斤批量生产高质量纳米颗粒，其尺寸和组成分布窄，无需下游精制工艺; 3）开发尺寸分散度为5%的纳米颗粒的连续合成; 4）将纳米颗粒可扩展地集成到锂离子电池和太阳能光伏器件中; 5）通过将PI开创的电泳沉积方法集成到连续流动反应器中，建立用于器件的新型纳米制造工艺的原理; 6）纳米粒子合成与连续表面处理的集成，以钝化高性能纳米粒子光致发光关键的电子陷阱; 7）通过组装线纳米粒子沉积生产纳米粒子涂覆的大面积非平面衬底。这项工作将展示一种纳米制造工艺，具有很高的潜力，可扩展到经济和工业相关的生产水平。所使用的廉价反应物能够实现工业规模、经济的生产。金属硫化物的可扩展纳米制造将对电池，太阳能电池，热电和催化产生影响。此外，金属硫化物纳米颗粒提供了流行的金属硫属化物系统的无毒替代品。该项目的研究将与旨在提高对纳米科学和纳米技术的广泛理解的推广和教育计划紧密结合。外展和教育活动利用现有的NSF赞助的GK-12计划在夏季与高中教师合作。PI为教师设计了一个研讨会，其中包括对他们对新兴纳米技术的机遇，风险和炒作的看法的初步调查，在实验室创建纳米技术原型的实践经验，以及后续评估。教师将完善有关纳米科学的课堂课程的教育模式。

Rapid advances in nanotechnology have generated enormous expectations for applications. There is growing recognition that the rapid progress towards nanotechnologies risks stagnation unless challenges concerning scalable manufacturing and device integration are resolved. To address these challenges, this project aims to resolve roadblocks impeding progress in the field of nanoparticle technologies by developing the first large-scale, solution-phase synthesis of high-quality nanoparticles, and demonstrate their integration into devices. This work will represent a step-change in the approach to realize nanoparticle-based technologies by manufacturable approaches. The key is the use of a reactive precursor that had previously only been available for aqueous-phase synthesis. The PIs will first demonstrate this technique through production of metal sulfides. The method is applicable for a large variety of monodisperse metal sulfide nanoparticles, such as Cu2S, CdS, SnS, ZnS, MnS, Ag2S, Bi2S3, and CuInS2, and will be extended into other material systems (e.g., phosphides). This will benefit the application of semiconductor and semi-metal colloidal nanocrystals in high-tech devices. The Intellectual Merits of the project include: 1) The method is a low temperature, air-stable synthesis, with high conversion yields, enabling low production cost and integration into temperature-sensitive processes; 2) Development of kilogram-quantity batch production of high-quality nanoparticles with narrow distribution in size and composition, without the need for downstream refining processes; 3) Development of continuous synthesis of nanoparticles with 5% dispersion in size; 4) Scalable integration of nanoparticles into Li-ion battery and solar photovoltaic devices; 5).Establishment of principles for a novel nanomanufacturing process for devices by integrating electrophoretic deposition methods pioneered by the PIs, into continuous flow reactors; 6) Integration of nanoparticle synthesis with continuous surface treatments to passivate electronic traps critical for high-performance nanoparticle photovoltaics; and 7) Produce nanoparticle-coated large area, non-planar substrates, through assembly-line nanoparticle deposition.This work will demonstrate a nanomanufacturing process with high potential to scale to economically and industrially relevant production levels. The inexpensive reactants used enable industrial scale, economic production. Scalable nanomanufacturing of metal sulfides will be impactful for batteries, solar cells, thermoelectrics, and catalysis. Additionally, metal sulfide nanoparticles provide a non-toxic alternative to popular metal chalcogenide systems. The Project's research will be closely integrated with an outreach and education program aimed to enhance a widespread understanding of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The outreach and education activities leverage the existing NSF-sponsored GK-12 program to work with high school teachers during the summer. The PIs have designed a workshop for the teachers that involves an initial survey about their perception of the opportunities, risk and hypes related to emerging nanotechnologies, a hands-on experience in the laboratory in creating nanotechnology prototypes, and a follow up assessment. Teachers will refine educational models about nanoscience for their classroom curriculum.