Abstract: A one step process is described for forming metal nanoparticles in polymers at atmospheric pressure and room temperature or with mild heating and stirring. The inventive process includes addition of nanoparticle precursor salts, e.g. HAuCl4 or AgNO3 into a “reducing” polymer resin, for example polyurethane resins, derivitized polyurethanes, polyurethane acyrlates and combinations thereof. With stirring, often at room temperature, the salts are rapidly reduced to form metal nanoparticles, usually less than 100 nm in size and often in the size range of 20-40 nm, and even as small 2 nm, depending on the concentration of salt precursor used and the exact polymer composition. The resultant metal nanoparticle-containing polymer resins have a wide range of utility for making coatings and other polymeric materials with properties potentially useful for anti-bacterial use, optical coatings, or catalysts.

Abstract: A method of producing networks of low melting metal oxides such as crystalline gallium oxide comprised of one-dimensional nanostructures. Because of the unique arrangement of wires, these crystalline networks defined as “nanowebs”, “nanowire networks”, and/or “two-dimensional nanowires”. Nanowebs contain wire densities on the order of 109/cm2. A possible mechanism for the fast self-assembly of crystalline metal oxide nanowires involves multiple nucleation and coalescence via oxidation-reduction reactions at the molecular level. The preferential growth of nanowires parallel to the substrate enables them to coalesce into regular polygonal networks. The individual segments of the polygonal network consist of both nanowires and nanotubules of ?-gallium oxide. The synthesis of highly crystalline noncatalytic low melting metals such as ?-gallium oxide tubes, nanowires, and nanopaintbrushes is accomplished using molten gallium and microwave plasma containing a mixture of monoatomic oxygen and hydrogen.