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Unlocking complex ceramic nanocrystals using kinetic control and mechanistic insight

Research Project
 | 
01.04.2021
 - 31.03.2026

Background. Colloidal (= non-aggregated) metal oxide and nitride nanocrystals (NCs) based on group 4 metals (Ti, Zr, Hf), are an underdeveloped materials class. However, they have the potential to play a central role in cancer therapy, bio-imaging, catalysis, memory devices, smart windows, ferroelectrics, solar cells, batteries, etc. They are nontoxic and chemically and thermally stable (= ceramic), key attributes for their successful application. However, the current synthetic methods towards the oxide NCs lack control over size, composition and structure while the colloidal nitride NCs are completely elusive. In addition, there is little mechanistic insight in the syntheses that do produce high quality metal oxide NCs. While the analysis of kinetics is usually the key to uncovering reaction mechanisms, the case of colloidal NCs is difficult because there are hundreds of elementary steps involved. Changes in precursor concentration or temperature do not only affect the kinetics of the first step (precursor conversion) but also influence the rates of nucleation and growth of the crystals.Goals and methods. My hypothesis is that well-defined, tunable precursors will provide an orthogonal handle on the kinetics of metal oxide and metal nitride NC formation. This is key to our general objective of obtaining mechanistic insight in and control over the formation of complex ceramic NCs. The project has four specific aims:1.We design a series of metal complexes as precursors with tunable conversion kinetics. Our first targets are the binary oxide and nitride NCs of Ti, Zr and Hf via a surfactant assisted approach. 2.We employ the tunable precursors to investigate the mechanism of NC formation. We aim to elucidate the precursor decomposition and the crystallization mechanism, and build a theoretical framework.3.We aim to apply our kinetic control and mechanistic insight to synthesize complex ceramic NCs. To demonstrate the power of our approach, we target highly challenging metal oxides: doped NCs, core/shell architectures and ternary compositions. 4.Finally, we focus on multimetal metal nitrides.Impact. Nanomaterial synthesis does not yet feature the predictability, reproducibility and intricacy of organic synthesis but this project aspires to be a step along the way toward this goal. If successful, it will change the way ceramic NCs are synthesized, going from an ad hoc, trial-and-error approach to a rational design. In addition, this project will provide exciting, previously inaccessible metal oxide building blocks for material science and nanomedicine. Finally, this project will break open a new field: colloidal metal nitrides.

Funding

Unlocking complex ceramic nanocrystals using kinetic control and mechanistic insight

SNF Eccellenza (GrantsTool), 01.2021-12.2025 (60)
PI : De Roo, Jonathan.

Members (3)

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Jonathan De Roo

Principal Investigator
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Carlotta Seno

Project Member
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Rohan Pokratath

Project Member