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NANO MATERIALS
Nanomaterials are newly developed materials with the grain size in the range 1 to
100 nm at least in one dimension. 1nm=one billionth of a meter (10-9m).
Nanomateriasl are categorized according to their dimensions
Classification of Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials dimension Examples
All three dimensions < Nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanoshells,
100 nm nanorings, microcapsules
Two dimensions < 100 nm Nanotubes, fibres, nanowires
One dimension < 100 nm Thin films, layers and coatings
Nanoscience is the study of materials that exhibit remarkable properties,
functionality and phenomena due to the influence of small dimensions.
Nanotechnologies are the design, characterization, production and application of
structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at the nanometer scale.
Some good examples to bring to the classroom:
Our fingernails grow at the rate of 1 nm per second;
The head of a pin is about 1 000 000 nm in diameter;
A human hair is about 80 000 nm in diameter;
A DNA molecule is 1–2 nm wide;
The transistor of a latest-generation Pentium Core Duo processor
is 45 nm.
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Synthesis of nanomaterials
The nano materials are synthesized into two categories, namely
Top-down process
Bottom-up process
Top-down process
In the top-down process, a bulk material is crushed into fine particles.
Example: 1.Ball milling 2.Laser ablation 3.sputtering
4. Plasma arcing 5.Electron beam evaporation 6.Photolithography
Figure 5.11 Top-down process
Bottom-up process
In this process, nano materials are produced by arranging atom by atom.
Example: 1. Chemical vapor deposition 2. Sol- gel method 3. Electro
deposition, etc.
Figure 5.12 Bottom-up process
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Laser ablation method
Pulsed Laser technique is a thin film deposition technique.
PLD consists of an ultra-high vacuum chamber where graphite target and
substrate are attached parallel to each other.
When laser pulse of suitable wavelength and sufficient energy falls on the
graphite target. The surface of the target is then heated up and the material is
vaporized.
High energy species are emitted from the surface.
The argon gas present inside the vacuum chamber is used to sweep the carbon
atoms towards the collector.
It is then deposited as a thin film on a substrate.
The quality of the film grown, the size of the nano particles and the rate of
deposition depend on various lattice parameters such as the laser energy and
pulse duration.
Figure 5.13 Laser ablation method
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Advantages
Flexible, esay to implement
Growth in any environment
The process is controlled by temperature and laser output power
Disadvantages
Uneven coverage
Not well suited for large scale film growth
Applications
To produce high quality thin films and nano particles
Chemical Vapour Deposition
CVD is a chemical method used to produce nano materials.
The CVD apparatus consists of quartz tube container, tubular furnace , tungsten
boat, inert gas and silicon substrate.
The silicon substrate is placed inside the a tungsten boat. The whole set up is
kept inside the quartz tube.
The quartz tube container is maintained the inert atmosphere.
The reactants are admitted into the container and it is maintaied at suitable
temperature.
The hot atoms collide with cold atoms and undergo condensation through
nucleation and form small clusters.
The thin film coating is formed on the silicon substrate because of chemical
reaction. The unused gases flow through the outlet.
The hydrogen reduction of silicon tetra chloride, is used to produce the epitaxial
growth of pure silicon.The chemical reaction involved is
SiCl4 2H 2 Si 4HCl
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Advantages
CVD is a low cost and high yield method
High purity nano materials are prepared
Both SWNTs and MWNTs can be produced
Figure 5.14 Chemical Vapour Deposition
Disadvantages
Control of size depends on many parameters
Control of shape is also difficult
Applications
Ics, Nano sensors, opto electronic devices
Properties of nano materials
Physical properties
Interparticle spacing decreases with decrease in grain size
Melting point reduces with decrease in particle size
Ionisation potential changes with cluster size of the nano materials
Increase surface to volume ratio causes decrease in interparticle spacing
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Mechanical properties
If the grains are nano scale, many of their mechanical properties such as
hardness, elastic modulus, fracture toughness and fatigue strength are modified.
Very high ductility and super elasticity behavior at low temperature
Magnetic properties
Mano materials are more magnetic than bulk materials
Exhibit giant magneto resistance
Electronic properties
Energy bands will be very narrow
Electrical conductivity increases with reduction in particle size
Optical properties
Gold nano particles of 100 nm appear orange in colour while 50 nm nano spheres
appear green
Applications
Energy technology
Nano particles of Ni, Pd and Pt are useful in hydrogen storage devices
Fabrication of ionic batteries
Addition of nano particles Ceria to diesel fuel improves fuel economy
Magnetic refrigeration
Material technology
Carbon nano particles are used as a filler to reinforce car tyres and car bumpers
Nano Tio2 is hydrophobic and antibacterial and they used in self-cleaning
windows, paints
Used in cosmetics, food and agriculture
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Bio medical
Silver nano particles are used as bone cement, surgical instruments, wound
dressings
Cancer cell detection, artificial heart valves and implant materials
Nano robots inserted into our body can modify neuron networks of brain
Nano titania is used in many sun screens to block harmful UV rays
Bio sensitive nano particles are used for tagging of DNA and DNA chips
Controlled drug delivery
Electrical and Electronics
Used for fabricating nano transistors, multilayer capacitors, quantum computing,
display technology, photonic crystals, fast logic gates and solar cells.
Nano magnets are used in high density magnetic recording, CDs, mobiles, lap-
tops, RAM and READ/WRITE heads.
Molecular nano technology is aimed to device robotic machines, molecular size
power sources and batteries
Mechanical Engineering
Since they are stronger, lighter etc., they are used to make hard metals.
Smart magnetic fluids are used in vacuum seals, magnetic separators etc.
They are also used in Giant Magneto Resistant (GMR) spin valves.
Nano- MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems) are used in ICs,
optical switches, pressure sensors, mass sensors etc.
Carbon Nanotubes
The Amazing and Versatile Carbon – Chemical basis for life
With an atomic number of 6, Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the
Universe by mass after (Hydrogen Helium and Oxygen). It forms more
compounds that any other element, with almost 10 million pure organic
compounds.
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Graphite consists of hexagonal honeycomb like arrangement of carbon atoms. a
single hexagonal sheet like layer of graphite is known as Graphene.
Carbon Nanotubes were discovered in 1991 by Sumio Iijima. Carbon Nanotubes
like fullerenes (C60), grapheme and nanotubes are great interest for the current
research as well as for future applications.
Definition
Carbon Nanotubes are molecular-scale tubes of graphene with large potential
applications. They are long, flexible, and thin cylinders of carbon having a very
broad range of electronic, thermal, physical, and structural properties.
Types of CNTs
CNTs are classified by its diameter, length, and chirality. They are
1. Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs)
2. Multiple Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)
Single-walled carbon nanotube structure
Single-walled carbon nanotubes consist of one tube of Graphite. SWCNTs
diameter range from 0.5 nm to 2.0 nm and their length is few m .
This can be formed in three different designs:
Armchair structure,
Chiral structure, and
Zigzag structure.
The different ways of rolling the graphite sheet gives different single-walled
nanotube’s structure.
A single-walled nanotube’s structure is represented by a pair of indices (n,m)
called the chiral vector.
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The chiral vector is represented by
C h na1 ma2
Where n and m are positive integers
Figure 5.15 Rolled sheet of CNTs
The tubes marked as (m, 0) has C-C bonds are parallel to the tube axis, at an open
end; a zigzag pattern is formed and are called Zigzag structure.
The tubes marked as (m=n) has C-C bonds are perpendicular to the tube axis, and
are called arm chair structure.
The tubes marked as (m>n) and 0 30 , C-C bonds are inclined to the tube
axis are called chiral structure.
Figure 5.16 Types of CNTs
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Multiple Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)
Multi walled carbon nanotubes consist of several number concentric Graphite
sheets. MWCNTs diameter range from 2 nm to 25 nm and their length is few m.
Properties of CNTs
Carbon nanotubes have a higher tensile strength than steel and Kevlar. Their
strength comes from the sp² bonds between the individual carbon atoms. This
bond is even stronger than the sp³ bond found in diamond.
CNTs have high electrical conductivity than copper.
CNTs have high strength/ weight ratio. They are 20 times stronger than steel.
Carbon nanotubes have been shown to be very good thermal conductors. The
thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes is dependent on the temperature of the
tube.
CNTs share both properties of semiconductor and metal.
Band gap decreases with increase in diameter of CNTs.
Pure CNTs display ferromagnetic behavior.
Methods of synthesizing CNTs
The various synthesizing CNTs are:
1. Carbon arc discharge method
2. Laser ablation technique,
3. Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique
Laser ablation technique
Pulsed Laser technique is a thin film deposition technique.
PLD consists of an ultra-high vacuum chamber where graphite target and
substrate are attached parallel to each other.
A quartz tube containing a block of graphite is heated in a furnace at 1200 C.
A flow of argon gas is maintained throughout the reaction.
When laser pulse of suitable wavelength and sufficient energy falls on the
graphite target.
The surface of the target is then heated up and the material is vaporized.
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High energy species are emitted from the surface.
The argon gas present inside the vacuum chamber is used to sweep the carbon
atoms towards the collector.
It is then deposited as a thin film on a substrate.
Ultrafast laser pulses are potential and able to prepare large amounts of
SWCNTs.
The quality of the film grown, the size of the nano particles and the rate of
deposition depend on various lattice parameters such as the laser energy and
pulse duration.
Advantages
Flexible, esay to implement
Growth in any environment
The process is controlled by temperature and laser output power
Disadvantages
Uneven coverage
Not well suited for large scale film growth
Figure 5.17 Laser Ablation technique of CNTs
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Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique
Construction& working
CVD is a chemical method used to produce carbon nanotubes.
The CVD apparatus consists of quartz tube container, tubular furnace , tungsten
boat, inert gas and silicon substrate.
The silicon substrate is placed inside the a tungsten boat. The whole set up is
kept inside the quartz tube.
The quartz tube container is maintained the inert atmosphere.
The reactants (C2 H 2 and N 2 ) are admitted into the container and it is maintaied at
suitable temperature (720 C ) .
The hot atoms collide with cold atoms and undergo condensation through
nucleation and form small clusters.
The thin film coating is formed on the silicon substrate because of chemical
reaction. The unused gases flow through the outlet.
The hydrogen reduction of silicon tetra chloride, is used to produce the epitaxial
growth of pure silicon CNTs. The chemical reaction involved is
SiCl4 2H 2 Si 4HCl
Advantages
CVD is a low cost and high yield method
High purity nano materials are prepared
Both SWNTs and MWNTs can be produced
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Figure 5.19 Chemical Vapour Deposition of CNTs
Disadvantages
Control of size depends on many parameters
Control of shape is also difficult
Applications
Ics, Nano sensors, opto electronic devices
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