Schlüsselwörter
(Englisch)
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Interfaces; Carbon nanomaterials; Heterogeneous nanojunctions; Transmission Electron Microscopy; analytical transmission; atomic-scale characterization; oxides;
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Forschungsprogramme
(Englisch)
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COST-Action MP0901 - Designing novel materials for nanodevices: From Theory to Practise (NanoTP)
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Kurzbeschreibung
(Englisch)
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Interfaces connect individual units which only as an ensemble can form a device providing a specific functionality. The crucial role of interfaces is reflected in the device performance and its reliability. Interfaces can be invisible in terms of their functionality, they can lead to synergetic effects and thus provide extra functionality or they can cause the failure of a device. The primary objectives of the proposed project are to adopt experimental methods based on analytical transmission electron microscopy to enable an atomic-scale characterization of interfaces between carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene and metal-oxide particles, and to apply these methods to investigate interfaces of functionalized carbon nanomaterials. The proposed project shall provide new insights into the characteristics of such interfaces and in particular on whether, how and when such interfaces can become critical for the device performance. The atomicscale information about these interfaces shall help to bridge the information gap between the atomistic theoretical models that have been developed and the experimental data that are currently available. The objectives of the proposed project are of decisive importance for the reliable implementation of carbon nanomaterials into real devices, and for taking advantage of the synergetic effects that can arise by combining different nanomaterials.
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Weitere Hinweise und Angaben
(Englisch)
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Full name of research-institution/enterprise: Eidg. Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt EMPA Zentrum für Elektronenmikroskopie
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Partner und Internationale Organisationen
(Englisch)
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BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GR, HU, IE, IT, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, TR, UK
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Abstract
(Englisch)
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Interfaces connect individual units which only as an assemble can form a device providing a specific functionality. The crucial role of interfaces is reflected in the device performance and its reliability. Interfaces can be invisible in terms of their functionality, they can lead to synergetic effects and thus provide extra functionality or they can cause failure of a device. The primary objectives of the project are to adopt experimental methods based on analytical transmission electron microscopy to enable an atomic-scale characterization of interfaces between carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene and metal-oxide particles, and to apply these methods to investigate interfaces of functionalized carbon nanomaterials. The project shall provide new insights into the characteristics of such interfaces and in particular on whether, how and when such interfaces can become critical for the device performance. The atomic-scale information about these interfaces shall help to bridge the information gap between the atomistic theoretical models that have been developed and the experimental data that are currently available. The objectives of the project are of decisive importance for the reliable implementation of carbon nanomaterials into real devices, and for taking advantage of the synergetic effects that can arise by combining different nanomaterials. In a first step, the present project focused on the electron microscopic characterisation of a heterogeneous materials system consiting of carbon nanotubes and iron-oxide nanoparticles. The study addressed the interaction of the nanoparticles with nanotubes as a function of the functionalization of the nanotubes using an ultrasonic treatment. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy, electron tomography and high-resolution imaging could identify the degree of damage caused to the carbon nanotubes as a function of the ultrasonic treatment, which then could be related to the (three-dimensional) decoration of the carbon nanotubes by the iron-oxide nanoparticles. In a second step, the project focused on the characterization of the carbon nanotubes/titanium-oxide system. In this part of the project, the nanotubes are decorated by titanium oxide using atomic-layer deposition.The nanotubes were either pristine or functionalized by a plasma treatment. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging was used to measure the crystallinity of titanium oxide and the decoration of the nanotubes as a function of deposition cycles and nanotube functionalization. For both systems, carbon nanotubes with iron oxide and titanium oxide, the electron microscopic characterization allowed for delivering detailed information about the interaction of the metal-oxide nanoparticles with the nanotubes and thus for providing valuable information about the mechansims that lead to the formation of these heterogenous systems and how the interaction between these two compounds can be controlled.
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Datenbankreferenzen
(Englisch)
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Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. +41 31 322 74 82 Swiss Project-Number: C10.0089
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