Dow Silicones Corporation

James Allen Casey

Ludmil M Zambov

David Lawrence Witker

Charles Serrano

Disclosed is a method for preparing a nanoparticle composition. The method includes forming a nanoparticle aerosol in a low pressure reactor, wherein the aerosol comprises MX-functional nanoparticles entrained in a gas, where M is an independently selected Group IV element and X is a functional group independently selected from H and a halogen atom. The method further includes collecting the MX-functional nanoparticles of the aerosol in a capture fluid, where the capture fluid is in fluid communication with the low pressure reactor. The capture fluid includes a polar aprotic fluid immiscible with water and having a viscosity of from 5 to 200 centipoise at 25° C. The capture fluid further includes a functionalization compound miscible with the polar aprotic fluid, the functionalization compound comprising a functional group Y reactive with the functional group X of the MX-functional nanoparticles.

Method of producing nanoparticles

A method of improving the photoluminescence of silicon nanoparticles is provided along with a description of the silicon nanoparticle compositions prepared therefrom. The method generally comprises exposing a composition comprising silicon nanoparticles having a mean particle diameter not greater than 5 nm and a fluid to a non-ambient condition selected from (i) elevated temperature, (ii) elevated humidity, (iii) elevated pressure exerted by an oxygen-containing gas, (iv) a hydrogen plasma, (v) hydrogen gas, (vi) ultraviolet radiation, and (vii) and a combination of at least two of (i)-(vi). Optionally, the silicon nanoparticles may be prepared by a gas phase reaction. The exposure of the silicon nanoparticle compositions to the non-ambient condition results in improved photoluminescence. In particular, the exposed nanoparticles exhibit increased maximum emission intensity and luminescent quantum efficiency. Moreover, these improvements are accompanied by a blue shift in the emitted light to a shorter wavelength.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

James Allen Casey