Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Cornell University

Diamond Innovations. Inc.

Francis J DiSalvo

Ulrich B Wiesner

Jean M Frechet

Huaqiang Wu

Michael Spencer

Héctor D Abruña

Josh H Golden

Scott C Warren

Hector D Abruna

Ryo Wakabayashi

Abds-Sami Malik

Hisanori Yamane

Deli Wang

Marc Murphy

R Bruce Van Dover

David Muller

Huolin Xin

Michelle MacLeod

Yongkwan Dong

Mahendra Christopher Orilall

Jinwoo Lee

Jay Molstad

Chinmayee V Subban

Ulrich B Weisner

Minghui Yang

Ryo H Wakabayashi

Embodiments provide a nanoparticle and a method for preparing the nanoparticle, as well as a membrane that includes the nanoparticle and a fuel cell that includes the membrane. The method comprises a thermal treatment method that provides from a nanoparticle comprising a structurally disordered material the nanoparticle comprising: (1) a structurally ordered core comprising a first material; and (2) a shell surrounding and further structurally aligned with the structurally ordered core and comprising a second material different from the first material. Particularly desirable is a nanoparticle comprising a PtCo@Pt/C structurally ordered core-shell composition supported upon a carbon support.

Structurally ordered nanoparticles, methods and applications

A metal oxide compound of formula (I):MnMRuO&#x2003;&#x2003;(I)is a single phase rutile-type structure, where M is Co, Ni, or Fe, or a combination thereof, x&#x3e;0, y&#x2265;0, and 0.02&#x2264;(x+y)&#x2264;0.30. Related electro-catalysts, devices, and processes are also provided.

Mixed metal oxide compounds and electrocatalytic compositions, devices and processes using the same

Conducting metal oxide and nitride nanoparticles that can be used in fuel cell applications. The metal oxide nanoparticles are comprised of for example, titanium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten and combinations thereof. The metal nitride nanoparticles are comprised of, for example, titanium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, zirconium, and combinations thereof. The nanoparticles can be sintered to provide conducting porous agglomerates of the nanoparticles which can be used as a catalyst support in fuel cell applications. Further, platinum nanoparticles, for example, can be deposited on the agglomerates to provide a material that can be used as both an anode and a cathode catalyst support in a fuel cell.

Conducting metal oxide and metal nitride nanoparticles

The present invention provides a generalizable single-source sol-gel precursor capable of introducing a wide range of functionalities to metal oxides such as silica. The sol-gel precursor facilitates a one-molecule, one-step approach to the synthesis of metal-silica hybrids with combinations of biological, catalytic, magnetic, and optical functionalities. The single-source precursor also provides a flexible route for simultaneously incorporating functional species of many different types. The ligands employed for functionalizing the metal oxides are derived from a library of amino acids, hydroxy acids, or peptides and a silicon alkoxide, allowing many biological functionalities to be built into silica hybrids. The ligands can coordinate with a wide range of metals via a carboxylic acid, thereby allowing direct incorporation of inorganic functionalities from across the periodic table. Using the single-source precursor a wide range of functionalized nanostructures such as monolith structures, mesostructures, multiple metal gradient mesostructures and Stober-type nanoparticles can be synthesized. 

Sol-gel precursors and products thereof

A plurality of mesoporous metal nitride materials may be formed by a method that includes treating with ammonia (or a related bonded nitrogen and hydrogen containing reducing material) a mixed metal oxide material that comprises at least one first metal that forms an unstable product with ammonia and at least one second metal that forms a stable product with ammonia to form the metal nitride materials that include the second metal but not the first metal. The method contemplates forming metal nitride materials, as well as metal oxynitride materials. A related method that uses a non-bonded nitrogen and hydrogen containing reducing material may yield a mesoporous metal oxide. In particular the at least one metal that forms an unstable product with ammonia comprises zinc metal.

Mesoporous metal nitride materials and methods

A method for increasing the ZT of a material, involves creating a reaction cell including a material in a pressure-transmitting medium, exposing the reaction cell to elevated pressure and elevated temperature for a time sufficient to increase the ZT of the material, and recovering the material with an increased ZT.

Affecting the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) and the power factor by high pressure, high temperature sintering

Highly crystalline metal oxide-carbon composites, as precursors to thermally stable mesoporous metal oxides, are coated with a layer of amorphous carbon. Using a 'one-pot' method, highly crystalline metal oxide-carbon composites are converted to thermally stable mesoporous metal oxides, having highly crystalline mesopore walls, without causing the concomitant collapse of the mesostructure. The 'one-pot' method uses block copolymers with an sp or sp 2 hybridized carbon containing hydrophobic block as structure directing agents which converts to a sturdy, amorphous carbon material under appropriate heating conditions, providing an in-situ rigid support which maintains the pores of the oxides intact while crystallizing at temperatures as high as 1000 deg C. A highly crystalline metal oxide-carbon composite can be heated to produce a thermally stable mesoporous metal oxide consisting of a single polymorph.

Thermally stable crystalline mesoporous metal oxides with substantially uniform pores

The invention provides mesostructured materials and methods of preparing mesostructured materials including metal-rich mesostructured nanoparticle-block copolymer hybrids, porous metal-nonmetal nanocomposite mesostructures, and ordered metal mesostructures with uniform pores. The nanoparticles can be metal, metal alloy, metal mixture, intermetallic, metal-carbon, metal-ceramic, semiconductor-carbon, semiconductor-ceramic, insulator-carbon or insulator-ceramic nanoparticles, or combinations thereof. A block copolymer/ligand-stabilized nanoparticle solution is cast, resulting in the formation of a metal-rich (or semiconductor-rich or insulator-rich) mesostructured nanoparticle-block copolymer hybrid. The hybrid is heated to an elevated temperature, resulting in the formation of an ordered porous nanocomposite mesostructure. A nonmetal component (e.g., carbon or ceramic) is then removed to produce an ordered mesostructure with ordered and large uniform pores.

Ordered porous mesostructured materials from nanoparticle-block copolymer self-assembly

The present invention provides compositions and a novel high-yielding process for preparing high purity Group III nitrides. The process involves heating a Group III metal and a catalytic amount of a metal wetting agent in the presence of a nitrogen source. Group III metals can be stoichiometrically converted into high purity Group III nitride powders in a short period of time. The process can provide multi-gram quantities of high purity Group III nitrides in relatively short reaction times. Detailed characterizations of GaN powder were performed and are reported herein, including morphology and structure by SEM and XRD, optical properties by cathodoluminescence (CL), and Raman spectra to determine the quality of the GaN particles. The purity of GaN powder was found to be greater than 99.9% pure, as analyzed by Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS). Green, yellow, and red light emission can be obtained from doped GaN powders.

Group III nitride compositions

The invention is directed to intermetallic compounds for use as catalysts for chemical reactions and catalytic systems. The structure of ordered intermetallic compounds enables such compounds to function as highly efficient catalysts. The ordered intermetallic compounds may be used to catalyze reactions in fuel cells (e.g., hydrogen fuel cells), amongst numerous other applications.

Intermetallic compounds for use as catalysts and catalytic systems

The present invention provides compositions and a novel high-yielding process for preparing high purity Group III nitrides. The process involves heating a Group III metal and a catalytic amount of a metal wetting agent in the presence of a nitrogen source. Group III metals can be stoichiometrically converted into high purity Group III nitride powders in a short period of time. The process can provide multi-gram quantities of high purity Group III nitrides in relatively short reaction times. Detailed characterizations of GaN powder were preformed and are reported herein, including morphology and structure by SEM and XRD, optical properties by cathodoluminescence (CL), and Raman spectra to determine the quality of the GaN particles. The purity of GaN powder was found to be greater than 99.9% pure, as analyzed by Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS). Green, yellow, and red light emission can be obtained from doped GaN powders.

Method of making Group III nitrides

A low temperature method for preparing GaN single crystals for use, for example, for blue light emitting diodes and laser diodes, comprises using sodium as a flux in a reaction system containing only gallium, sodium and nitrogen, e.g., by thermally decomposing sodium azide in a closed reaction zone containing gallium or by reacting gallium with nitrogen supplied from a tank in a closed reaction zone containing sodium, optionally in the presence of a catalytic amount of an alkaline earth metal.

Low temperature method of preparing GaN single crystals

Single phase solid materials containing metal clusters are produced by dissolving a metal cluster having chemically bound polymerizable organic ligands in a polymerizable organic solvent, homogeneously dispersing the metal cluster, and then copolymerizing the organic solvent and the chemically bound polymerizable organic ligands.

Single phase solids of polymerizable metal clusters

Single phase solid materials are produced by dissolving a metallopolymer, preferably of (LiMo.sub.3 Se.sub.3).sub.n, in a polymerizable organic solvent, preferably vinylene carbonate, homogeneously dispersing the metallopolymer, and then polymerizing the solvent.

Growing community of inventors

Ithaca, NY, United States of America

Francis J DiSalvo