Nanoparticles (NPs) hosted in a conductive matrix are important for a range of applications from electrochemical energy storage, to catalysis to energetic devices. However, manufacturing NPs in high quality and at high efficiency remains as a challenge. Aiming to address this challenge, this Scalable NanoManufacturing (SNM) award plans to investigate a scalable nanomanufacturing and stabilization method for NPs embedded within a conductive matrix through a unique thermal shock process. This project can lead to an ultra-fast and facile NP nanomanufacturing approach in a carbon matrix based on high-temperature (up to 3000 K) thermal shock within 10 milliseconds. The relatively simple approach to manufacturing NPs in a conductive matrix by heating provides an ideal teaching tool for high school and undergraduate students. Involving these students in this project helps increase their interests in science and technology and offering training opportunities to gain research experience. Cyber-based outreach activities via iMechanica.org will also further broaden the impacts of the proposed research and educational activities.
The project originates from the team's recent demonstration of ultra-fast (<0.01 s) synthesis of uniformly distributed metal NPs within a conductive matrix by Joule heating, followed by subsequent rapidly quenching. In this project, the fundamentals of ultra-fast, in situ NP formation in conductive matrices using aluminum NP and reduced-graphene oxide or carbon nanofiber matrix as a model system will be investigated. The fundamental understanding of the process will be applied to investigate the scale-up synthesis of the NPs in a conductive matrix, focusing on overcoming major scale-up roadblocks, such as uniform distribution throughout the thickness direction, and low cost, followed by designing and benchmarking scalability with a lab-scale roll-to-roll processing setup. The team will also demonstrate, evaluate and optimize the roll-to-roll system to fabricate aluminum NP composites, and investigate the key nanomanufacturing-related issues, such as fabrication rate, throughput, product quality, reproducibility, yield, efficiency and cost.
