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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Nanocomposites from molecularly doped silica xerogels

Conference ·
OSTI ID:126646
; ;  [1]
  1. Vanderbilt Univ., Nasville, TN (United States); and others
Molecularly doped silica xerogels are prepared via sol-gel procedures by the addition of inorganic or organometallic molecules containing bifunctional ligands to conventional sol-gel recipes. These bifunctional ligands contain distal silicate ester groups, so that the dopant molecules become covalently incorporated into the silica xerogel matrix. Subsequent thermal treatment under reducing or oxidizing-then-reducing conditions leads to decomposition of the molecular precursor and formation of a nanophase material highly dispersed throughout the xerogel matrix. The formation of nanocomposites containing nanoclusters of metals, semiconductors, or a bimetallic alloy will be presented along with characterization data including spectroscopic confirmation of quantum confinement effects.
OSTI ID:
126646
Report Number(s):
CONF-950402--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English