Novel preparation methods for metal and alloy nanoparticles in polymers

近年来，由分散在聚合物基质中的金属纳米颗粒组成的材料因其新颖的功能性质而引起了人们的极大兴趣，为其提供了许多新的应用。基尔大学多组分材料教席在金属-聚合物界面和复合材料领域拥有长期的专业知识。目前的联合研究项目涉及新型金属和合金纳米颗粒器件。它是与神户大学的Deki教授团队一起进行的。基尔小组将专注于如何在聚合物中加入金属纳米颗粒的新方法。例如，一个特别具有挑战性的方面是结合具有明确组成的合金团簇来调节磁性或隧道磁阻。在基尔采取的两种主要方法包括通过非晶态聚合物的蒸气诱导晶化分散金属和合金团簇，以及在聚合物玻璃化转变温度附近和以上蒸发金属(Co)。在某种程度上，也将使用神户开发的松弛自分散过程。最后，将研究所得到的纳米复合材料的物理性能和老化情况。与神户小组密切合作，开展了证明上述办法可行性的预备性研究。这是两个小组的DFG/JPS第二个联合项目。同时，这种合作也促进了工程系之间的正式合同和大学成员的活跃交流。

Recently, there is much interest in materials consisting of metal nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix due to their novel functional properties offering hosts of new applications. The Chair for Multicomponent Materials at the University of Kiel has a long standing expertise in the field of metal-polymer interfaces and composites. The present joint research project is concerned with novel metal and alloy nanoparticle devices. It is carried out together with the group of Prof. Deki at Kobe University. The Kiel group will focus on new approaches how to incorporate metallic nanoparticles in polymers. A particularly challenging aspect is the incorporation of alloy clusters with well defined composition to tune magnetic properties or tunneling magnetoresistance, for instance. The two main approaches taken in Kiel involve the dispersion of metal and alloy clusters by vapor-induced crystallization of amorphous polymers, and metal (co-)evaporation near and above the polymer glass transition temperature. To some extent the relaxative autodispersion process developed in Kobe will also be used. Finally, physical properties and aging of the resulting nanocomposites will be investigated. Preparatory studies demonstrating the feasibility of the above approaches have been carried out in close cooperation with the Kobe group. This is the second joint DFG/JPS project of both groups. The cooperation has meanwhile stimulated a formal contract between the engineering departments and active exchange of university members.