CAREER: Low Temperature Solution Synthesis of Intermetallic Nanomaterials

1. CAREER: Low Temperature Solution Synthesis of Intermetallic Nanomaterials Raymond E. Schaak, Pennsylvania State University, DMR-0748943 Understanding how to control the synthesis of intermetallic compounds as nanocrystals is important for applications that include fuel cell catalysis, magnetic information storage, and nano-machines. We recently discovered that, under appropriate synthetic conditions, -Sn nanocubes react with metal salt solutions to form FeSn2 nanocubes with a variety of interesting hollow nanostructures. This template-directed nanostructure control is facilitated by the different diffusion characteristics of Fe into the top vs. side faces of -Sn during the Sn  FeSn2 chemical conversion. (Chou et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc.2007, 129, 7339 – 7345.) FeCl3 NaBH4,  -Sn FeSn2 20 nm 20 nm

2. CAREER: Low Temperature Solution Synthesis of Intermetallic Nanomaterials Raymond E. Schaak, Pennsylvania State University, DMR-0748943 James Fumiya Bondi During the past year, seven undergraduate students representing five different majors have participated in research related to the NSF-sponsored project. Jason Knight (biomedical engineering major) – Colloidal crystal assembly and template synthesis of metal and alloy nanostructures. Trevor Ewers (chemistry major) – Synthesis of Fe-Ti organometallic complexes for decomposition into nanocrystalline Fe-Ti intermetallics. Jeff Karnes(chemistry major) – Synthesis of gold/metal oxide core/shell nanocrystals via a one-step spontaneous electrochemical reaction. Nick Fox(NSF REU student, biochemistry major) – Synthesis of tin nanocrystals and gram-scale quantities of copper tin (Cu6Sn5) nanocrystals for testing in batteries. Aaron Ofczarzak(chemical engineering major) – Designed and set up system for testing catalytic activity (CO oxidation) of intermetallic nanocrystals. Matt Sanders(mechanical engineering major) – Synthesis of nickel and nickel oxide nanocrystals using polymers and biomolecules as surface stabilizers. James Bondi(chemistry major) – Synthesis of copper tin nanocrystals by reaction of tin nanocrystals with copper salt solutions.