King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

University of Illinois

Sahraoui Chaieb

Munir H Nayfeh

Joel M Therrien

Satish Rao

Jehad El Demellawi

Gennadey Belomoin

Jehad El-Demellawi

Zeyad Al-Talla

Asad Mughal

Christopher Holt

The present disclosure provides for silicon nanoparticles, safety devices, solid propellants, and the like.

Methods of making silica nanoparticles, propellants, and safety devices

A method of making a colloidal suspension of photoluminescent porous silicon particles involves removing a layer of porous silicon from a substrate using a first ultrasound energy to form a first plurality of porous silicon particles in a colloidal suspension. The first plurality of porous silicon particles in the colloidal suspension are exposed to a second ultrasound energy to reduce the size of the first plurality of porous silicon particles in the colloidal suspension, thereby forming a second plurality of porous silicon particles in a colloidal suspension, wherein the second plurality of porous silicon particles are in the amorphous phase.

Colloidal suspension of photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon, methods of making colloidal suspension of photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon, and methods of using colloidal suspension of photomimunescent amorphous porous silicon

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a colloidal amorphous silicon liquid filter device, methods of using a colloidal amorphous silicon liquid filter device, and the like.

Methods and devices for colloidal suspension filters

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a catalytic reaction to produce acetone, a catalyst that include a mixture of silicon particles (e.g., about 1 to 20 nm in diameter) and a solvent, and the like.

Acetone production using silicon nanoparticles and catalyst compositions

Embodiments of the present methods may be used to produce energy in the form of an electrical current from water without the use of fossil fuel. Silicon hydride is very easy to make. This procedure in conjunction with an enzyme to produce hydrogen gas for fuel cells and other small devices. In fuel cells the production of protons may be bypassed, and an oxidant such as permanganate or oxygen from air may be used to drive the fuel cells. In such an embodiment, an intermediate reaction may not be needed to produce protons. In one embodiment, membrane-less laminar flow fuel cells with an external grid for oxygen supply from the air may be used.

Silicon hydride nanocrystals as catalysts for proton production in water-organic liquid mixtures

A relatively thick electrode is positioned opposite the surface of a substrate/second electrode. The electrode and the substrate surface are both contacted by a solution including silicon nanoparticles. The substrate surface is completely immersed in the solution in a manner such that there is not an air/solution interface and there is no meniscus at the substrate surface. Application of electrical potential between the electrode and the substrate creates a film of silicon nanoparticles on the substrate. Drying of the film induces the film to roll up and form a silicon nanoparticle nanotube material. A film may be subdivided into an array of identical portions, and the identical portions will roll into identical tubes having same length and diameter. A silicon nanoparticle nanotube material of the invention includes nanotubes formed of silicon nanoparticles.

Silicon nanoparticle nanotubes and method for making the same

A family of discrete and uniformly sized silicon nanoparticles, including 1 (blue emitting), 1.67 (green emitting), 2.15 (yellow emitting), 2.9 (red emitting) and 3.7 nm (infrared emitting) nanoparticles, and a method that produces the family. The nanoparticles produced by the method of the invention are highly uniform in size. A very small percentage of significantly larger particles are produced, and such larger particles are easily filtered out. The method for producing the silicon nanoparticles of the invention utilizes a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon, e.g., a silicon wafer. The etch is conducted with use of an appropriate intermediate or low etch current density. An optimal current density for producing the family is &#x2dc;10 milli Ampere per square centimeter (10 mA/cm). Higher current density favors 1 nm particles, and lower the larger particles. Blue (1 nm) particles, if any appreciable quantity exist depending on the selected current density, may be removed by, for example, shaking or ultrasound. After the etch, the pulverized wafer is immersed in dilute HF for a short time, while the particles are still connected to the wafer to weaken the linkages between the larger particles. This may be followed by separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form plural nanoparticles into crystals, films and other desirable forms. The nanoparticles may also be coated or doped. The invention produces the family of a discrete set of sized particles and not a continuous size distribution. Particles may be isolated from the family, i.e., it is possible to produce any one of the sizes of particles from the family after the basic method steps have been executed to produce the family of particles.

Family of discretely sized silicon nanoparticles and method for producing the same

A family of discrete and uniformly sized silicon nanoparticles, including 1 (blue emitting), 1.67 (green emitting), 2.15 (yellow emitting), 2.9 (red emitting) and 3.7 nm (infrared emitting) nanoparticles, and a method that produces the family. The nanoparticles produced by the method of the invention are highly uniform in size. A very small percentage of significantly larger particles are produced, and such larger particles are easily filtered out. The method for producing the silicon nanoparticles of the invention utilizes a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon, e.g., a silicon wafer. The etch is conducted with use of an appropriate intermediate or low etch current density. An optimal current density for producing the family is &tilde;10 milli Ampere per square centimeter (10 mA/cm ). Higher current density favors 1 nm particles, and lower the larger particles. Blue (1 nm) particles, if any appreciable quantity exist depending on the selected current density, may be removed by, for example, shaking or ultrasound. After the etch, the pulverized wafer is immersed in dilute HF for a short time, while the particles are still connected to the wafer to weaken the linkages between the larger particles. This may be followed by separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form plural nanoparticles into crystals, films and other desirable forms. The nanoparticles may also be coated or doped. The invention produces the family of a discrete set of sized particles and not a continuous size distribution. Particles may be isolated from the family, i.e., it is possible to produce any one of the sizes of particles from the family after the basic method steps have been executed to produce the family of particles.

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Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Sahraoui Chaieb