SYNTHESIS OF Pb ALLOY AND CORE/SHELL NANOWIRES
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods of producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell, and methods of producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell. The method for producing the PbSe core/PbS shell nanowires comprise the steps of providing a core/shell growth solution comprising PbSe nanowires, heating the core/shell growth solution to a temperature sufficient to produce a PbS shell over the PbSe nanowires, adding a Pb precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution, and adding an S precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution after the addition of the Pb precursor to produce nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell.
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This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/937,225 filed Nov. 8, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDEmbodiments of the present invention are generally related to the synthesis of nanoalloys and core/shell nanowires, and are specifically related to methods of making PbSexY1-x nanoalloys and PbSe/PbY core/shell (Y═S, Te) nanowires.
BACKGROUNDNanostructures (e.g., semiconductor nanostructures) provide unique optical, physical and electrical properties, which makes them the main building blocks in various devices such as electronic, photonic, thermoelectric and sensor based devices. Due to the numerous benefits provided, continual efforts are being made develop new structures (e.g., semiconductor nanostructures) with nanoscale dimensions; however, controlling the dimensions and the shape of the nanostructures remains a challenge. When controlled, the nanostructures may improve the optical and physical properties of semiconductors by changing the band gap in the strong confinement region, where one of the dimensions is smaller than the corresponding excitonic Bohr diameter.
Semiconductor nanowires in the form of alloys or core/shell systems may be utilized as materials for semiconductors and be operable to yield various band gap energies. Also, Pb-chalcogenide materials have been identified as effective nanostructures. For example, Pb-chalcogenide materials are often utilized in thermoelectric devices because of their low heat conductivity.
Accordingly, improved nanoalloys, as well as improved methods of making these nanoalloys are desirable for use in semiconductor nanostructures.
SUMMARYAccording to one embodiment, a method for producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell is provided. The method comprises providing a core/shell growth solution comprising PbSe nanowires, heating the core/shell growth solution to a temperature sufficient to produce a PbS shell over the PbSe nanowires, adding a Pb precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution; and adding an S precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution after the addition of the Pb precursor to produce nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell.
According to yet another embodiment, a method for producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a Pb precursor solution, adding a Te precursor solution to the Pb precursor solution to produce a PbTe solution, providing a core/shell growth solution heated to a temperature of about 150° C., wherein the core/shell growth solution comprises PbSe nanowires, and adding the PbTe solution to the core/shell growth solution to form nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell.
These and additional features provided by the embodiments of the present invention will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.
The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the drawings enclosed herewith.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative in nature and not intended to be limiting of the invention defined by the claims. Moreover, individual features of the invention will be more fully apparent and understood in view of the detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONEmbodiments of the present invention are directed to methods of making PbSexY1-x alloy nanowire and PbSe/PbY core/shell nanowires, where Y═S or Te. As used herein, an “alloy” is a structure comprising a mixture of one or more metal elements. As used herein, a “core/shell” is a structure comprising a “core” metal based material and at least one separate coating layer (“the shell”) thereon, wherein the shell may comprise the same or a different composition than the core composition. As will be shown below, the processing steps can dictate whether the product is in the form of an alloy nanowire or in the form of a core/shell nanowire.
Referring generally to the flow charts of
Referring to
To prepare the PbY solution as shown in
After the PbSe nanowires are prepared, the PbSe nanowires can be delivered to an growth solution. They can act as a medium for the reaction of the PbSe nanowires and the PbY solution. The growth solution may comprise TOP and DPE, or other suitable materials. As mentioned before, the trialkyl phosphine, or trialkyl amine may be used as solvents. These solvents are compatible to the nanowire surface (via a Lewis acid/base reaction mechanism) and can also dissolve the chalcogenide metals. When adding the PbSe nanowires, the growth solution may be maintained at ambient temperature; however, other suitable temperatures are contemplated herein. In one experimental example, the growth solution may comprise 2 ml of DPE and 2 ml TOP, which is heated at 180° C. for 20-25 minutes and then cooled to room temperature before adding 30 mg of PbSe nanowires.
After the PbSe nanowires are added to the growth solution, the growth solution is heated to a temperature of at least 150° C., (e.g., the PbY solution described above) or in one embodiment, between about 190 to about 200° C. Subsequently, the PbY solution is added. The PbY may be added slowly to prevent self-nucleation, or the formation of undesirable crystal structures. In one embodiment, a PbS solution was added dropwise at a rate of about 0.25 ml/min.
Additional treatment steps are contemplated for the formation of the PbSexY1-x alloy. For example, the growth solution can be annealed for 10 minutes and then cooled to room temperature. The alloy product can then be separated by adding hexane and centrifuging at 6000 rpm for 5 min.
In accordance with the exemplary methods provided above, a ternary PbSexY1-x alloy may be formed and may comprise a composition of PbSe0.4S0.6, such as shown in the TEM micrograph of
To demonstrate the alloys formed by methods described herein, such as the PbSe0.4S0.6 alloy,
In addition to the methods of forming alloys, the present invention is also directed to core/shell synthesis, for example, methods for producing core/shell nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell are contemplated. Referring to
In an experimental example, the synthesis of PbSe/PbS core/shell nanowires was carried out by slowly adding 0.3 ml of a Pb precursor solution and 0.1 ml of an S precursor solution (0.063 g/2 ml TOP) to a core/shell growth solution comprising PbSe nanowires. The Pb precursor solution is added first and then the S precursor solution is added at a rate of 0.3 ml/min after a waiting time of three minutes. In addition to PbSe nanowires, the core/shell growth solution contained 2 ml of DPE and 2 ml of TOP and was purified by heating to 200° C. for 25 minutes. After addition of the Pb and S precursors, the solution was reheated to 130° C. The PbSe/PbS core/shell nanowire product, as shown in
Furthermore, the methods of the present invention are also directed to producing core/shell nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell. Referring to
After forming the PbTe solution, the PbTe solution is added to a core/shell growth solution comprising PbSe nanowires in order to form PbTe shells over the PbSe nanowires. The core/shell growth solution may be heated to a temperature above 150° C., or specifically about 190° C. Like the above methods, the core/shell growth solution may comprise TOP and DPE.
In an experimental example, the growth of the shell was carried out by addition of 0.07 mg of Pb (the same Pb precursor solution used for the alloy) and 0.063 g of Te in 2 ml TOP. The Pb solution was dried by heating to 140° C. for 10 minutes, and then cooled. After cooling to room temperature, the Te solution was added dropwise. This PbTe solution was then slowly added to the core/shell growth solution (at 190° C.), which contained 2 ml of TOP, 2 ml of DPE and 20 mg of PbSe nanowires. After adding all of the precursors, the reaction was annealed at 130° C. for another 7 minutes before cooling to room temperature. To separate the product, 2 ml of toluene and 2 ml of ethanol were added to the solution, which was then centrifuged for 5 minutes.
The experimental example above produced a PbSe/PbTe core/shell nanowire as shown in
As discussed above, the coating of the PbTe shell material on the PbSe is carried out at higher temperature compared with the PbS shell. In specific examples, the PbS shell is formed in a core/shell growth solution heated to 130° C., whereas the PbTe shell is formed in a core/shell growth solution heated to 190° C. This is due in part to the higher lattice mismatch for PbTe (PbTe, 5.5% vs. PbS 3.0%). Due to this higher lattice mismatch, higher temperatures are required to grow a uniform PbTe shell over the PbSe core. The processing steps are also optimized to combat unwanted side reactions (e.g., self-nucleation of the PbTe). When PbSe nanowires have a large surface area, shell formation may be difficult, due to the possibility of forming clusters and islands of the shell material on the core surface. In the foregoing experimental example, the inventor minimized potential unwanted cluster formation by annealing the solution for 7 minutes in 130° C. to form a uniform and single crystalline shell coating.
For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the terms “substantially” and “about” are utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The terms “substantially” and “about” are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
Having described the invention in detail and by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the present invention are identified herein and illustrated in the figures, it is contemplated that the present invention is not necessarily limited to these aspects of the invention.
Claims
1. A method for producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell comprising the steps of:
- providing a core/shell growth solution comprising PbSe nanowires;
- heating the core/shell growth solution to a temperature sufficient to produce a PbS shell over the PbSe nanowires;
- adding a Pb precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution; and
- adding an S precursor solution to the core/shell growth solution after the addition of the Pb precursor to produce nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the core/shell growth solution comprises tri-octyl phosphine (TOP) and diphenyl ether (DPE).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the S precursor solution comprises S and TOP.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the core/shell growth solution was heated to a temperature of about 130° C.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the core/shell growth solution after the addition of the PbSe nanowires to a temperature of about 130° C.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanowire comprising a PbSe core and a PbS shell comprise a thickness of about 11 nm.
7. A PbSe core/PbS shell nanowire produced by the method of claim 1.
8. A method for producing nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell comprising the steps of:
- providing a Pb precursor solution;
- adding a Te precursor solution to the Pb precursor solution to produce a PbTe solution;
- providing a core/shell growth solution heated to a temperature of about 150° C., wherein the core/shell growth solution comprises PbSe nanowires; and
- adding the PbTe solution to the core/shell growth solution to form nanowires comprising a PbSe core and a PbTe shell.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of reheating the core/shell growth solution after the addition of the PbTe solution to a temperature of about 130° C.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising isolating the PbSe/PbTe core/shell nanowires from the core/shell growth solution by centrifugation in the presence of toluene or ethanol.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the core/shell growth solution is heated to a temperature of about 190° C. prior to the addition of the PbTe solution.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein the Te precursor comprises Te and TOP.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein the Te precursor is added dropwise to the Pb precursor solution.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein the core/shell growth solution comprises TOP and DPE.
15. The method of claim 8 wherein the PbTe shell comprises a thickness of about 5 to about 30 nm.
16. The method of claim 8 wherein the nanowire comprising the PbSe core and PbTe shell comprises a thickness of about 10 to about 45 nm.
17. A PbSe core/PbTe shell nanowire produced by the method of claim 1
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 13, 2011
Publication Date: Nov 3, 2011
Applicants: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA), Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. (Erlanger, KY)
Inventors: Taleb Mokari (Berkeley, CA), Minjuan Zhang (Ann Arbor, MI), Peidong Yang (Berkeley, CA)
Application Number: 13/181,631
International Classification: B32B 9/00 (20060101); B05D 7/00 (20060101); B05D 5/00 (20060101); B82Y 40/00 (20110101);