Synthesis and Surface Engineering towards Complex Nanomaterials

Abstract

From the self-cleaning properties of the lotus leaf to smartphones that have hundreds of millions times more processing power than computers that sent mankind to the moon, the importance of nanotechnology is beyond dispute. Throughout the last couple of decades, the ever increasing demand for technology have driven not only the quest for new nanomaterials, but also efficient ways to produce them. In this work, novel methods towards producing complex nanomaterials is presented: from molecules to product. In the first part, a method to synthesize quantum dots (QD) from molecular precursors using ultrasound, in an emulsion system under controlled temperature, is presented. This method offers remarkable temporal control, leading to on-demand synthesis of QDs, and has 10x production capacity compared to the typical single-phase sonochemical synthesis of QDs. In the second part, a general bottom-up method to assemble two different kinds of nanoparticles together by engineering the nanoparticle surface is presented, which opens the path towards scalable production of multifunctional nanomaterials. Finally, a specific application of surface engineering and particle assembly is demonstrated in the context of reducing the brittleness of ceramic membranes for energy storage applications.