Lehigh University

Paritosh Mohanty

Kai Landskron

Yingwei Fei

Compositions comprising nanoparticles (e.g., nanocrystals) of stishovite silica are described. Such nanoparticles may be made by (1) subjecting a mesoporous silica starting material (e.g., SBA-16 or KIT-6) to a pressure of less than about 20 GPa (e.g., about 12 GPa); (2) heating the mesoporous silica starting material while under pressure to an elevated temperature of less than about 1000&#xb0; C. (e.g., a temperature of between about 300&#xb0; C. and about 400&#xb0; C.); and thereafter isolating the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be used in a work tool that is configured and adapted for cutting, drilling, abrading, polishing, machining, or grinding, among other uses.

Ultrahard stishovite nanoparticles and methods of manufacture

Provided herein is a new material, periodic mesoporous phosphorus-nitrogen compound, which may be used in a variety of emerging technologies. Its surface properties render it promising as a component in a variety of applications, including gas separation and purification systems in which waste gases such as SO, SO, or COare separated from other gases. It may also be used as an interlayer dielectric in microelectronic chips. Its structure and composition are useful due to an advantageous and favorable combination of thermal stability, elastic modulus, and dielectric properties. The surface properties and the regularity of the pores furthermore provides utility as shape selective base catalysts. Protonated forms of the material are expected to be useful as a solid acid, and in applications such as acid catalysis. Additionally, because of the thermal behavior of the material, it is useful as 'hard' template for other porous materials, without the need of an external reagent.

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Bethlehem, PA, United States of America

Paritosh Mohanty