Home > Press > Faster, better, cheaper: UD scientist attempts to grow nanocomposites faster using novel approach
Joshua Zide (right), assistant professor of materials science and engineering, at work in the laboratory with Pernell Dongmo, a doctoral candidate in the College of Engineering. Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson |
Abstract:
Joshua Zide, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Delaware, has spent nearly a decade engineering nanomaterials using a technique called molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
In his research, Zide makes a class of materials called nanocomposites that consist of metallic nanoparticles within a semi-conductor. These nanocomposites can be used in electronic devices such as transistors or in energy conversion devices such as solar cells or thermoelectrics. Typically, these devices are made of semiconductors like silicon or gallium arsenide.
While MBE produces nanoscale materials with exquisite control, the technique is slow and expensive. It also doesn't scale well for industrial applications and it isn't flexible in allowing the addition of new materials.
Zide will attempt to grow nanoscale materials in a new way through a 2012 Department of Energy Early Career Research grant from the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. One of only 68 individuals selected from a pool of nearly 850 applicants, the award will provide Zide $750,000 in research funding over five years.
Under the grant, Zide will explore the use of liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) to make nanocomposites for thermoelectrics, which are devices for generating electrical energy from heat. The work shows potential for transitioning these promising materials from the laboratory to the factory, allowing production of innovative electronic, optoelectronic and energy conversion devices.
"People have used LPE many times to make semiconductors. What we're doing is making the same kinds of nanocomposites using a hybrid approach that also employs inert gas condensation," he said.
The research team will first make the metal nanoparticles in the laboratory via inert gas condensation and then use the nanoparticles to grow materials by LPE. According to Zide, combining these two well-established, inexpensive techniques in a new way opens the door to making this class of materials in a commercially viable and scalable way.
"Instead of growing nanomaterials at one micron per hour, which is much slower than grass grows, LPE will enable us to grow nanomaterials at one micron per minute," Zide said.
"We think this could lead to a faster, better, cheaper way of making a class of nanocomposite materials with pretty exciting applications," he added.
Separating the production of the nanoparticles from the production of the film also increases the materials flexibility and enables it to be changed in ways not possible by MBE. In principle, Zide said the technique could also be applied to other materials systems, enabling researchers to combine more dissimilar materials in electronic nanocomposites.
During the project, he will collaborate and share equipment with materials science and engineering colleagues Ismat Shah, whose expertise lies in making nanoparticles via inert gas condensation, and Robert Opila, whose expertise lies in LPE.
Two graduate students will also participate in the project. One student will focus on creating the nanoparticles and the other will incorporate the nanoparticles into the films designed in Zide's laboratory and to study the materials' characterization and properties.
"This long-term funding will enable me to lead my research in an entirely new direction," Zide said.
About the award
The U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Research Program aims to strengthen the nation's scientific workforce. The five-year awards are designed to support exceptional researchers during their early career years, when many scientists do their most seminal work.
Now in its third year, the program also aims to providing incentives for scientists to focus on research areas important to the Department of Energy including advanced scientific computing research, biological and environmental research, basic energy sciences, fusion energy sciences, high-energy physics and nuclear physics.
About the professor
Joshua Zide joined UD in 2007 as an assistant professor in electrical engineering with a joint appointment in mechanical engineering. He joined the materials science and engineering faculty in 2009.
Zide earned his doctoral degree in materials from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2007 and his bachelor's degree with distinction in materials science and engineering from Stanford University in 2002.
Article by Karen B. Roberts
####
For more information, please click here
Contacts:
University of Delaware
Office of Communications & Marketing
302-831-NEWS
Copyright © University of Delaware
If you have a comment, please Contact us.Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Related News Press |
News and information
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain April 5th, 2024
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Good as gold - improving infectious disease testing with gold nanoparticles April 5th, 2024
Thin films
Utilizing palladium for addressing contact issues of buried oxide thin film transistors April 5th, 2024
Understanding the mechanism of non-uniform formation of diamond film on tools: Paving the way to a dry process with less environmental impact March 24th, 2023
New study introduces the best graphite films: The work by Distinguished Professor Feng Ding at UNIST has been published in the October 2022 issue of Nature Nanotechnology November 4th, 2022
Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes April 5th, 2024
Chip Technology
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Utilizing palladium for addressing contact issues of buried oxide thin film transistors April 5th, 2024
HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024
Discoveries
Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes April 5th, 2024
New micromaterial releases nanoparticles that selectively destroy cancer cells April 5th, 2024
Utilizing palladium for addressing contact issues of buried oxide thin film transistors April 5th, 2024
Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance
Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024
Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024
Announcements
NRL charters Navy’s quantum inertial navigation path to reduce drift April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Energy
Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024
Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023
Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023
The efficient perovskite cells with a structured anti-reflective layer – another step towards commercialization on a wider scale October 6th, 2023
Grants/Sponsored Research/Awards/Scholarships/Gifts/Contests/Honors/Records
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes April 5th, 2024
Solar/Photovoltaic
Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024
Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023
Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023
Charged “molecular beasts” the basis for new compounds: Researchers at Leipzig University use “aggressive” fragments of molecular ions for chemical synthesis November 3rd, 2023
The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
Premium Products | ||
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||