DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides

Abstract

A synthetic route for producing nanostructure metal-oxide-based materials using sol-gel processing. This procedure employs the use of stable and inexpensive hydrated-metal inorganic salts and environmentally friendly solvents such as water and ethanol. The synthesis involves the dissolution of the metal salt in a solvent followed by the addition of a proton scavenger, which induces gel formation in a timely manner. Both critical point (supercritical extraction) and atmospheric (low temperature evaporation) drying may be employed to produce monolithic aerogels and xerogels, respectively. Using this method synthesis of metal-oxide nanostructured materials have been carried out using inorganic salts, such as of Fe.sup.3+, Cr.sup.3+, Al.sup.3+, Ga.sup.3+, In.sup.3+, Hf.sup.4+, Sn.sup.4+, Zr.sup.4+, Nb.sup.5+, W.sup.6+, Pr.sup.3+, Er.sup.3+, Nd.sup.3+, Ce.sup.3+, U.sup.3+ and Y.sup.3+. The process is general and nanostructured metal-oxides from the following elements of the periodic table can be made: Groups 2 through 13, part of Group 14 (germanium, tin, lead), part of Group 15 (antimony, bismuth), part of Group 16 (polonium), and the lanthanides and actinides. The sol-gel processing allows for the addition of insoluble materials (e.g., metals or polymers) to the viscous sol, just before gelation, to produce a uniformly distributed nanocomposites upon gelation. As an example, energetic nanocomposites of Fe.sub.xO.sub.y gel with distributedmore » Al metal are readily made. The compositions are stable, safe, and can be readily ignited to thermitic reaction.

Inventors:
; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1175625
Patent Number(s):
6986818
Application Number:
09/981,076
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01F - COMPOUNDS OF THE METALS BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, THORIUM, OR OF THE RARE-EARTH METALS
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Tillotson, Thomas M., Simpson, Randall L., Hrubesh, Lawrence W., and Gash, Alexander. Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides. United States: N. p., 2006. Web.
Tillotson, Thomas M., Simpson, Randall L., Hrubesh, Lawrence W., & Gash, Alexander. Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides. United States.
Tillotson, Thomas M., Simpson, Randall L., Hrubesh, Lawrence W., and Gash, Alexander. Tue . "Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1175625.
@article{osti_1175625,
title = {Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides},
author = {Tillotson, Thomas M. and Simpson, Randall L. and Hrubesh, Lawrence W. and Gash, Alexander},
abstractNote = {A synthetic route for producing nanostructure metal-oxide-based materials using sol-gel processing. This procedure employs the use of stable and inexpensive hydrated-metal inorganic salts and environmentally friendly solvents such as water and ethanol. The synthesis involves the dissolution of the metal salt in a solvent followed by the addition of a proton scavenger, which induces gel formation in a timely manner. Both critical point (supercritical extraction) and atmospheric (low temperature evaporation) drying may be employed to produce monolithic aerogels and xerogels, respectively. Using this method synthesis of metal-oxide nanostructured materials have been carried out using inorganic salts, such as of Fe.sup.3+, Cr.sup.3+, Al.sup.3+, Ga.sup.3+, In.sup.3+, Hf.sup.4+, Sn.sup.4+, Zr.sup.4+, Nb.sup.5+, W.sup.6+, Pr.sup.3+, Er.sup.3+, Nd.sup.3+, Ce.sup.3+, U.sup.3+ and Y.sup.3+. The process is general and nanostructured metal-oxides from the following elements of the periodic table can be made: Groups 2 through 13, part of Group 14 (germanium, tin, lead), part of Group 15 (antimony, bismuth), part of Group 16 (polonium), and the lanthanides and actinides. The sol-gel processing allows for the addition of insoluble materials (e.g., metals or polymers) to the viscous sol, just before gelation, to produce a uniformly distributed nanocomposites upon gelation. As an example, energetic nanocomposites of Fe.sub.xO.sub.y gel with distributed Al metal are readily made. The compositions are stable, safe, and can be readily ignited to thermitic reaction.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2006},
month = {Tue Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2006}
}