United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Azimuth Corporation

Sergey A Basun

Dean R Evans

Gary R Cook

Victor Yurievich Reshetnyak

Ighodalo U Idehenre

Yuri Barnakov

A method for synthesizing ferroelectric nanoparticles comprises introducing solutions of Ba(NO)(1 mmol) in 5 ml of deionized water, NaOH (12.5 mmol) in 5 ml of deionized water, Ti(IV) n-butoxide (1 mmol) in 5 ml of 1-butanol, 2.5 ml of oleic acid, and 5 ml of 1-butanol into a Teflon-lined autoclave vessel; heating the vessel to 135&#xb0; C. for 18 h, resulting in barium titanate nanoparticles; and ball-milling the barium titanate nanoparticles in a solution of oleic acid and heptane to create a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles. The weight ratio of barium titanate:oleic acid:heptane is 1:1:20. The ball-milling step may further comprise introducing a slurry comprising 0.1 g of synthesized BaTiOnanocubes, 0.1 g of oleic acid, and 15 mL of heptane into a ball-mill crucible filled with 2 mm ZrOballs; subjecting the slurry to rotation at 500 rpm for 5 hours; converting the resulting nanoparticle suspension to a powder using anhydrous ethanol with sequential washing/drying at ambient temperature.

Ferroelectric particles controlled by functional coatings

Methods for preparing ferroelectric nanoparticles, liquid crystal compositions containing the ferroelectric nanoparticles, and electronic devices utilizing the ferroelectric nanoparticles are described. The methods of preparing the ferroelectric nanoparticles may include size-reducing a starting material comprising particles of a bulk intrinsically nonferroelectric glass to form glass nanoparticles having an average size of less than 20 nm, the glass nanoparticles comprising ferroelectric nanoparticles. Exemplary bulk intrinsically nonferroelectric glasses may include borosilicate glasses, tellurite glasses, bismuthate glasses, gallate glasses, and mixtures thereof, for example. The size reduction may be accomplished using ball milling with a solvent combination such as n-heptane and oleic acid. Liquid crystal compositions may include the ferroelectric nanoparticles in combination with a liquid crystal. Exemplary electronic devices include liquid crystal displays, in which a liquid crystal composition containing the ferroelectric nanoparticles is disposed adjacent a window material.

Ferroelectric glass nanoparticles, liquid-crystal compositions, and electronic devices containing the nanoparticles

Methods are disclosed for separating and harvesting very small single domain ferroelectric nanoparticles by application of a non-uniform electric or magnetic field gradient. The disclosed methods enable collection of nanoparticles with permanent strong dipole moments for use in a wide variety of applications with greatly improved results.

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Beavercreek, OH, United States of America

Sergey A Basun