This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on the development of a new approach for the continuous production of high quality metal nanoparticles. Currently, nanometals are produced in small quantities by the reduction of metal salts in water or organic solutions. Obtained particles have decent size distribution, but the size is typically large (>20 nm) and not well controlled. Some nanometals are produced on a larger, industrial scale in the gas phase by vacuum evaporation techniques, and then stabilized in solution using standard surfactants. In this case, particles tend to agglomerate and the shapes and the sizes of nanoparticles are not well controlled. The aim of this project is to evaluate the feasibility of the chemical aerosol-flow method as a large scale process for the synthesis of high-quality, surface stabilized nanometals with well-controlled shape and size distribution. The primary focus of the proposed research is to find the optimal technical and physico-chemical conditions for the production of high-quality nanometals. If successful, this method will provide large quantities of nanometals for research and technology, provide a deeper understanding of the properties of materials in the small size regimen, and, consequently, accelerate the development of nanometals applications.
Commercially, the outcome of this proposal will have a great impact on future nanotechnology, if successful. Semiconductor, metal, and oxide nanoparticles are among the most desired materials for future technology and research. The research will not only have a great impact on technology, since it will provide a great amount of material for use in new tools, devices, etc., but it will also have a great impact on our understanding of materials' properties at small dimensions. The technology will be attractive to a wide range of markets. In particularly, the antimicrobial coatings market is one application for silver nanoparticles, which accounts for a large share of the market. Other metal nanocolloids will play a significant role in the nanomaterials market.
