Chemical vapor deposition and its application in surface modification of nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanomaterial has diverse applications in electronics, catalysis, energy, materials chemistry and even biology due to the special properties endowed by their high specific surface ratio. However, nanoparticles can easily get agglomerated and lose their original properties, which has become one critical issue and limits its application in nanotechnology. Various surface modification methods were used to reduce its surface energy and prevent the agglomeration. While physical methods use surfactants to prevent the latter, chemical methods are more favorable, since the strong covalent bonds are more durable under wide range of conditions. Among these chemical modifications, chemical vapor deposition is extensively studied. Here we introduced nanomaterial’s characterization and reviewed different categories of chemical vapor deposition methods that have been used for nonmaterial’s surface modification. We showed that photo-induced chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) is an attractive strategy that could be carried out under normal temperature and pressure conditions; it might be the best potential candidate to be used widely in large-scale processes. Finally, we discussed the factors affecting functionalization process of PICVD and the research progress of its application in surface modification of nanoparticles.