Al NP Research Articles

Capacitively coupled nonthermal plasma synthesis of aluminum nanocrystals for enhanced yield and size control

Uniform-size, non-native oxide-passivated metallic aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) have desirable properties for fuel applications, battery components, plasmonics, and hydrogen catalysis. Nonthermal plasma-assisted synthesis of Al NPs was previously achieved with an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor, but the low production rate and limited tunability of particle size were key barriers to the applications of this material. This work focuses on the application of capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) to achieve improved control over Al NP size and a ten-fold increase in yield. In contrast with many other materials, where NP size is controlled via the gas residence time in the reactor, the Al NP size appeared to depend on the power input to the CCP system. The results indicate that the CCP reactor assembly, with a hydrogen-rich argon/hydrogen plasma, was able to produce Al NPs with diameters that were tunable between 8 and 21 nm at a rate up ∼ 100 mg h−1. X-ray diffraction indicates that a hydrogen-rich environment results in crystalline metal Al particles. The improved synthesis control of the CCP system compared to the ICP system is interpreted in terms of the CCP’s lower plasma density, as determined by double Langmuir probe measurements, leading to reduced NP heating in the CCP that is more amenable to NP nucleation and growth.

Epoxy Coating Modification with Metal Nanoparticles to Improve the Anticorrosion, Migration, and Antibacterial Properties

Nanoparticles are capable of making more durable and stronger materials with better chemical resistance. They are used for a wide range of applications. Likewise, the potential of metal nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents has been widely studied. In this work, we investigate various nanoparticles (Al, Ni, Ag) incorporated into epoxy coating. The anticorrosion and antibacterial properties of the unmodified and modified coatings were evaluated. According to the SEM and EDS analyses, the coating did not contain agglomerates, which confirms the quality of the dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in the coating. After 24 h and 10days immersions in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the corrosion behaviour for all nanocomposite was studied by means of EIS investigations. The study included the evaluation of the inhibition zone of the nanoparticles and the antimicrobial properties of the nanocomposite. It was found that the nanoparticles of Al and Ag provide excellent antibacterial properties. The epoxy nanocomposite with Al NP showed the migration of ions in the range from 0.75 to 1 mg/L in a wastewater solution for 30 days, indicating a potential for antimicrobe activity. The 1% Al NP epoxy nanocomposite showed good anticorrosion and antibacterial properties and demonstrated great potential for applications in pipelines.

Anticorrosion and Antibacterial Properties of Al NP–Epoxy Nanocomposite Coating on Grey Cast Iron

In this study, different concentrations of aluminium nanoparticles (Al NP) were incorporated into epoxy resin and epoxy paint. Here, we present a detailed systematic study of different methods of incorporating inorganic nanoparticles into epoxy coating. This work aims to obtain an epoxy coating with anticorrosion and antibacterial properties. The physical properties of coatings such as thickness, hardness, colour, and adhesion did not change with the addition of nanoparticles. According to the SEM and EDS analyses, the distribution effect of Al NPs in epoxy coating was better with ultrasonic homogenisation than with mechanical stirring. The EIS and SECM measurements were used to investigate corrosion resistance. The coating with 1.0 wt.% Al NP showed the best physical and chemical properties. SECM examination indicated that nanoparticles in epoxy resin increase the protection efficiency by 25.75% and in the epoxy paint by 40.89%. The results also showed the antibacterial activity of aluminium nanoparticles by inhibiting the growth of biofilm-forming bacteria such as P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis.

Corrosion Behaviour of an Epoxy Resin Reinforced with Aluminium Nanoparticles

During exploitation, the properties of the epoxy coating deteriorate and therefore, it is necessary to modify it with metal particles. In this paper, spherical aluminium nanoparticles (Al NP) of 100 nm with 99.9% purity were used to modify the epoxy coating for the better corrosion protection of grey cast iron. Pure Al has a high corrosion resistance and can form a thin protective film that prevents its further oxidation, thus, becoming inert and environmentally friendly. To examine these facts, different concentrations (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0 wt.%) of Al nanoparticles were dispersed in the epoxy coating. The surface of the modified nanocomposite coating was analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Furthermore, the physical properties such as colour, thickness, hardness, and adhesion to the cast iron surface were tested as well. The same properties were tested by exposing the sample plates to corrosive conditions in the climate chamber. Their anticorrosion properties were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) by their immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution as a corrosive medium. The coating with 0.75% Al NP showed the best corrosion resistance after 10 days of exposure in salt water, while the sample with 1.0% Al NP showed the best corrosion resistance after exposure to the icing/deicing process.

A Novel Method for Generating H2 by Activation of the μAl-Water System Using Aluminum Nanoparticles

A method is described for activation of the reaction of room temperature water with micron-scale aluminum particles (μAl) by the addition of poly(epoxyhexane)-capped aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs). By themselves, Al NPs react vigorously and completely with water at ambient temperatures to produce H2. While pure μAl particles are unreactive toward water, mixtures of the μAl particles comprising 10 to 90% (by mass) of Al NPs, demonstrated appreciable hydrolytic activation. This activation is attributed to the reaction of the Al NPs present with water to produce a basic solution. Speciation modelling, pH studies, and powder X-ray diffraction analysis of the hydrolysis product confirm that the pH change is the key driver for the activation of μAl rather than residual heat from the exothermicity of Al NP hydrolysis. A mechanism is proposed by which the nonreactive aluminum oxide layer of the μAl is eroded under basic conditions. Mixtures 10% by mass of Al NPs can be used to produce the optimal quantity of H2.

Study of synthesis and combustion of composite fuels based on n-decane and Al nanoparticles

The article is devoted to the analysis of a diffusion combustion of a composite fuel (formed by an addition of non-oxidized aluminum (Al) nanoparticles (NP’s) to n-decane) with oxygen. The process of obtaining Al NP’s consisted of a laser fragmentation of initially large commercially produced NP’s (so called “Alex” with mean diameter is about 450 nm) in the solution of isopropanol. A final size distribution of NP’s was determined by a CPS DC2400 measuring disk centrifuge. The morphology of NP’s was characterized with the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) JEM-100C. The measured average diameter of NP’s was about 40 nm. In the final step of a preparation of a composite fuel an isopropanol was exchanged on n-decane. To characterize the composite fuel, diffusion combustion was used in combination with the laser diagnostic technique CARS. Temperature distributions along the x direction were measured at two values of distances from the nozzle. It has been shown that, for the fuel consistent of 0.1% mass concentration of Al NP’s in n-decane, the temperature at the distance equaled 14 mm downstream from the nozzle exit of a burner in the vicinity of the flame front was significantly higher (by 200–300 K) than that upon burning of pure n-decane.

Surface Plasmon Enhanced Fluorescence Temperature Mapping of Aluminum Nanoparticle Heated by Laser.

Partially aggregated Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye is used as a lights-on temperature sensor to analyze the spatiotemporal heating of aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) embedded within a tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride (THV) fluoropolymer matrix. The embedded Al NPs were photothermally heated using an IR laser, and the fluorescent intensity of the embedded dye was monitored in real time using an optical microscope. A plasmonic grating substrate enhanced the florescence intensity of the dye while increasing the optical resolution and heating rate of Al NPs. The fluorescence intensity was converted to temperature maps via controlled calibration. The experimental temperature profiles were used to determine the Al NP heat generation rate. Partially aggregated R6G dyes, combined with the optical benefits of a plasmonic grating, offered robust temperature sensing with sub-micron spatial resolution and temperature resolution on the order of 0.2 °C.

Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity Mimicked in Al Nanoparticle‐Embedded IGZO Synaptic Transistor

AbstractDiverse artificial synapse structures and materials are widely proposed for neuromorphic hardware systems beyond von Neumann architecture owing to their capability to mimic complex information processing tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing, and learning. Nevertheless, temporal and spatial randomness in the movement of ion and electron particles that exist in materials usually prevents the solid‐state‐based synaptic devices from enabling the reliable modulation of synaptic plasticity. An aluminum nanoparticle (Al NP)‐embedded indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) synaptic transistor whose spike peak level and conductance change can be precisely modulated by the density of Al NPs within the IGZO channel is demonstrated. Essential synaptic functions including excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic current, paired pulse facilitation, and short‐term potentiation or depression are also thoroughly emulated in the synaptic transistor device with the most optimized Al NP density: IGZO:Al NPs (6 nm). Moreover, controllable switching from short‐term to long‐term memory regimes essential for a learning task is demonstrated. Simulation results prove that this transistor can provide a decent recognition accuracy for neuromorphic computing. Indeed, the integrated IGZO:Al NP synaptic circuit with the effective synaptic plasticity will facilitate the implementation of a reconfigurable neuromorphic computing system.

Effects of metal oxide nanoparticles on combustion and gas-generating performance of NaN3/Al composite powders ignited using a microhotplate platform

We investigated the effects of different metal oxide (MO) nanoparticles (e.g., CuO, KIO4, Fe2O3) on the combustion and gas-generating characteristics of sodium azide microparticle (NaN3 MP; gas-generating agent) and aluminum nanoparticle (Al NP; heat source) composite powders. The NaN3 MP/Al NP/MO NP composite powders were stably ignited using a microhotplate (MHP) heater. The addition of CuO and KIO4 to the NaN3 MP/Al NP composite powders resulted in relatively high burn rates and high pressurization rates upon MHP-assisted ignition. This suggests that the highly reactive CuO and KIO4 NPs significantly increased the combustion of the Al NPs; as a result, sufficient heat energy was generated via the active aluminothermic reaction to thermally decompose the NaN3 MPs. Finally, the gas generating properties of NaN3 MP/Al NP composite powders mixed with various MO NPs were tested using homemade inflatable small airbags. The airbags were fully inflated within ~20 ms when CuO and KIO4 NPs were added to the NaN3 MP/Al NP composite powders. However, the addition of Fe2O3 NPs to the NaN3 MP/Al NP composite powder resulted in a slow and only partial inflation of the airbag due to an incomplete aluminothermic reaction, which was due to a slow combustion reaction between the Al NPs and relatively weak oxidizer of the Fe2O3 NPs. This suggests that the rapid, stable, and complete thermal decomposition of NaN3 MP/Al NP composites can be effectively achieved by employing highly reactive nanoscale oxidizers.

Effect of Zirconia and Alumina Nanofillers on the Microstructure and Some Properties of Flowable Composite

Purpose:studying the effect of reinforcing flowable composite with different concentrations of zirconia and alumina nanofillers on its microstructure, complex viscosity, colour changes, flexural strength and degree οf cοnversiοn.Materials and Methods:180 samples were divided according to nanofillers type into two groups(n=90),each group was subdivided into five subgroups according to concentration of fillers (0%,2%,4%,8%and16%)(n=20). Each group was subdivided into 4 subdivisions according to type of test performed(n=5).Samples were characterized by SEM, viscosity was measured by oscillatory rheοmeter, colour changes was measured using spectrophotometer, fǀexural strength was measured by three point bending test and degree of conversion was measured by FTΙR.Results: SEM showed homogenous distribution of zircοnia and alumina np at 2&4wt%, some agglomeration for both types of fillers at 8wt%. For complex viscosity, zirconia np at 16wt% at 25℃ had higher median value compared to 37℃ (6.17), Alumina np at 2wt% and 4wt% at 25℃ had higher median value compared to 37℃ (5.665),(8.516) respectively. For colour changes, zr& al np at 4wt% showed the highest mean values(10.2±1.5,11.1±1.4) respectively. Ιn flexural strength, zirconia filler at 4wt% had higher mean value (137.8±18.1MPa)compared to alumina filler(94.4±16.9 MPa). For DC, 4wt% for both zr& al np showed the highest mean values compared to other groups (66.4±2.4, 64.3±0.82) respectively.Conclusion: Viscosity increased as the concentration of nanofillers increased. Ιncorporation of nanofillers affect the cοlour of the flowable composite. Fǀexural strength was improved with increasing the concentration of zirconia nanofillers, while it decreased with alumina nanofillers. DC increased as the filler concentration increased till 4 wt.% then decreased.

Nanoscale surface reactions by laser irradiation of Al nanoparticles on MoO3 flakes

Surface reactions between heated aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) and thin α-MoO3 sheets are investigated. Localized photothermal heating on Al NP clusters is provided by a Raman spectrometer laser, while enhanced heating rates and imaging resolution are enabled by the use of a plasmonic grating substrate. Prominent linear reaction zones extending from Al NPs in the 〈001〉 crystal direction are observed on the surface of the host MoO3 sheets after heating. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction indicate that α-Al2O3 is generated within these extended reacted regions, while AFM and SEM indicate that the topology of the reaction regions are indistinguishable from the MoO3 host. We hypothesize that these Al2O3 zones are formed by surface diffusion and subsequent sub-surface adsorption of heated Al adatoms along the low-energy 〈001〉 MoO3 direction. Understanding and controlling these reaction mechanisms could lead to enhanced combustion of Al/MoO3 nanothermite systems.

Thermal stability of Al-Cu-Fe-Cr-Ni high entropy alloy bulk and nanoparticle structure: A molecular dynamics perspective

Understanding the thermal stability of high entropy alloy nanoparticle (HEA NP) is critical for developing high-temperature nanojoining technique. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to investigate the thermal stability of Al, Cu, Fe, Cr and Ni HEA NP, and is compared with that of bulk HEA. Potential energy is calculated for determining the melting temperature, while structure evolution with temperature is characterized with adaptive common neighbor analysis and radial distribution function, for harvesting melting mechanisms. It is found that the HEA NP has comparable thermal stability of HEA bulk alloy structure; and a two-stage melting of HEA NP is found. The self-diffusivity of each element is calculated from the mean square displacement, and Cr atoms have the highest self-diffusivity, leading to the migration of Cr atoms to the surface. This research initiates the MD simulation on HEA NP, and shed light on the advance of the nanojoining technique.

Effect of aluminum micro- and nanoparticles on ignition and combustion properties of energetic composites for interfacial bonding of metallic substrates

In this study, the effect of micro- and nanoscale energetic materials in the formulation of aluminum microparticles (Al MPs)/aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs)/iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) as a heat energy source for melting solder microparticles (SAC 305 MPs) on the interfacial bonding properties of Cu metallic substrates, is investigated. The optimized mixing ratio is Al MP:Al NP:Fe2O3 NP = 30:30:40 wt%, which generates a maximum total exothermic energy of ∼2.0 kJ g−1. The presence of Al NPs is essential to make stable ignition and initiation of Al MPs, which enable to attain relatively long combustion duration. The use of highly reactive Al NPs/Fe2O3 NPs can improve the aluminothermic reaction, while the addition of Al MPs to the Al NPs/ Fe2O3 NPs is also required to maintain their high thermal energy for a longer duration. An energetic material (EM) layer composed of Al MP/Al NP/Fe2O3 NP composites is employed as a heat source between solder material (SM) layers composed of SAC305 MPs. The SM/EM/SM multilayer pellets are assembled and ignited between interfacial Cu substrates for bonding. Thus, interfacial bonding between the Cu substrates is successfully achieved, and the resulting maximum mechanical strength for the bonded Cu substrates using the SM/EM/SM multilayer pellets increases by ∼40% compared to that when using a pure SM layer pellet. Hence, EM layers can act as both an effective heat energy generation source and a mechanical reinforcing medium, while the interfacial bonding process using SM/EM/SM multilayer pellets demonstrated herein provides an easy and versatile means of welding and jointing for industrial applications.

Enhanced fluorescence for in situ temperature mapping of photothermally heated aluminum nanoparticles enabled by a plasmonic grating substrate

In situ dynamic temperature mapping of photothermally heated aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) embedded in a fluoropolymer (THV) is achieved using fluorescent dye (rhodamine 6G). A plasmonic grating substrate enhances the dye fluorescence intensity by a factor of seven over a glass substrate, to enable image capture rates of 500 frames per second. Further, the fluorescence intensity is linearly related to temperature and reversible. Photothermal heating of embedded Al NPs using a 2380 W cm−2 incident flux produced an Al NP heating rate of 1.2 × 104 °C s−1. Localized Al NP motion was also observed and attributed to thermal expansion and melting of the polymer. Multiphysics simulation provided agreement with experimental observations, bolstering confidence in the technique. The plasmonic grating platforms were shown to significantly improve both fluorescence intensity and the photothermal heating of Al compared to glass substrates, opening a new path for fast and high-resolution in situ temperature mapping.

In Situ Characterization of Photothermal Nanoenergetic Combustion on a Plasmonic Microchip.

Plasmonic gratings facilitate a robust in situ diagnostic platform for photothermal combustion of nanoenergetic composite thin films using an optical microscope and a high-speed camera. Aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) embedded in a fluoropolymer oxidizer are cast onto a plasmonic grating microchip and ignited using a low-power laser. The plasmonic grating enhances both spatial resolution and sufficient photothermal coupling to combust small Al NP clusters, initiating localized flames as small as 600 nm in size. Two-color pyrometry obtained from a high-speed color camera indicates an average flame temperature of 3900 K. Scattering measurements using polarized light microscopy enabled precise identification of individual Al NPs over a large field of view, leading to 3D reconstruction of combustion events.

Combustion of aluminum nanoparticles and exfoliated 2D molybdenum trioxide composites

Exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) of approximately 3-4 monolayers in thickness was produced from sonicating bulk MoO3 powder, and then mixed with 80 nm diameter Al nanoparticles to prepare nanoenergetic composites with high interfacial contacts between the fuel and oxidizer. Combustion measurements demonstrated peak pressures as high as 42.05 ± 1.86 MPa, pressurization rates up to 3.49 ± 0.31 MPa/µs, and linear combustion rates up to 1,730 ± 98.1 m/s, the highest values reported to date for Al/MoO3 composites. TGA/DSC measurements indicate energetic reactions between the Al and 2D MoO3 sheets occur prior to the melting temperature of Al. SEM and TEM analysis of the composites prior to combustion suggests high interfacial contact area between the Al and MoO3. After reaction, we observe that the 2D MoO3 sheets are converted to extended alumina flakes during reaction in a process attributed to Al adsorption and diffusion processes. These alumina features act as a physical barrier against Al NP sintering while also provide separation for reaction gases to flow and preheat unreacted materials.

Assembly and encapsulation of aluminum NP's within AP/NC matrix and their reactive properties

Aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) are commonly employed as fuel supplement to increase the energy density of propellants. However, due to the highly agglomerated state of the NPs and significant pre-combustion sintering, ignition and combustion are not as facile as they could be. In this work, we employed a spray approach to generate near monodisperse microparticles of Al NP's encapsulated within ammonium perchlorate (AP) and a binder (nitrocellulose (NC)) The results show that Al/AP/NC composites have an ignition temperature (∼700K), which is significantly lower than Al melting point (∼933K). The reactivity of Al/AP/NC composites was also tested in a confined cell where we find that although the peak pressure for Al/AP/NC is comparable to that of physically mixed Al/CuO nanothermite, the impulse generated is more than two times higher. The measured flame temperature of Al/AP/NC composites were as high as 2800K, which is ∼500K higher than Al/AP composites without NC. Furthermore, the potential mechanism for the early ignition of these composites were investigated. It is proposed that gaseous acid released from AP could play an important role in weakening the protective oxide shell on Al nanoparticles which could subsequently lead to the reaction of Al in the high-pressure oxygenated environment at lower temperature.

Improved UV photoresponse of ZnO nanorod arrays by resonant coupling with surface plasmons of Al nanoparticles.

In this study, localized surface plasmon resonance mediated by aluminium nanoparticles (Al NPs) was employed to enhance the ultraviolet (UV) response of ZnO nanorod array (NRA) photodetectors grown vertically on a Quartz substrate using a simple vapor transport method. The responsivity of the ZnO NRA photodetector decorated with Al NPs was enhanced from 0.12 to 1.59 A W(-1) and the sensitivity and response rate have been improved greatly compared with those of the bare one. The measurement results in the transmittance spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra suggest that the improved photoresponse and the enhanced spontaneous emission of the ZnO NRA photodetector with Al NP decoration are both attributed to resonant coupling between the excitons in ZnO and the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) in the Al NPs. Our results demonstrated that the plasmon-enhanced ZnO NRA photodetector has a great potential for application in building sensors with a fast response and reset time, high sensitivity, and good signal-to-noise ratio for photoelectric sensing.

Synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles capped with copolymerizable epoxides

We report on the synthesis of air-stable aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) capped with 1,2-epoxy-9-decene. Long-chain epoxides have proven to be effective capping agents for Al NPs as the epoxide ring is highly susceptible to ring-opening polymerization, leading to the formation of putative polyether loops on the nascent Al NP surface. However, these materials are observed to degrade within several hours to days following exposure to ambient air. By inducing polymerization of the additional terminal alkene functionality on the epoxide, we have produced Al NPs that exhibit both a shelf life of ~6 weeks and a high active Al content. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that these spherical nanostructures, ~25 nm in diameter, are embedded in a covalently bound polymer matrix that serves as a prophylactic barrier against water/air (H2O/O2) degradation, and 27Al solid-state NMR is used to nondestructively confirm the presence of both metallic Al0 and oxidized Al3+. In addition, we have induced polymerization of the epoxide terminal alkene functionality with a long-chain diene monomer, 1,13-tetradecadiene, leading to the formation of Al NPs protected by an extremely hydrophobic polymer matrix. These core–shell nanomaterials also have high active Al contents along with extremely long shelf lives (up to 6 months upon air exposure).

Size-dependent nanoparticle reaction enthalpy: Oxidation of aluminum nanoparticles

Here we present a model describing the particle size dependence of the oxidation enthalpy of aluminum nanoparticles. The model includes the size dependence of the cohesive energy of the reactant particles, the size dependence of the product lattice energy, extent of product agglomeration, and surface capping effects. The strongest effects on aluminum nanoparticle energy release occur for particle diameters below 10 nm, with enhanced energy release for agglomerated oxide products and decreased energy release for nanoscale oxide products. An unusual effect is observed with all nanoparticle reaction enthalpies converging to the bulk value when agglomeration of the products approaches the transition between nanoparticle→nanoparticle and nanoparticle→bulk energetics. Optimal energy output for Al NP oxidation should occur for sub-10-nm particles reacting with significant agglomeration.