Solution processable metal boride nanostructures for functional hard coatings in extreme conditions (BORNANO)

Projektbeschreibung

Nanokristalle für extreme Bedingungen züchten

Materialien im Nanometermaßstab sind von Interesse, jedoch nicht von Dauer, wenn sie starker Strahlung, reaktiven Chemikalien oder hohen Temperaturen ausgesetzt sind. In diesem Zusammenhang zielt das ERC-finanzierte Projekt BORNANO darauf ab, dieses Problem durch die Herstellung dünner Schichten aus kolloidalen Metallborid-Nanokristallen zu lösen. Diese Schichten kombinieren die Festigkeit von Borwerkstoffen mit der modernen Oberflächentechnik und eignen sich daher für die Luft- und Raumfahrt, Tiefseestrukturen und andere schwierige Anwendungen. Im Rahmen dieses Projekts werden neue Herstellungsmethoden erforscht, das Wachstum von Nanokristallen untersucht und Oberflächenliganden zur Stabilisierung von Suspensionen entwickelt. Hierzu werden einzelne Nanokristalle in starke Dünnfilme umgewandelt. Dieses Projekt zielt darauf ab, eine neuartige funktionelle Beschichtung zu entwickeln, die widrigsten Bedingungen standhält, indem grundlegende chemische Verfahren mit realen Bautechniken kombiniert werden.

Ziel

Nanometer-sized solids such as nanocrystals (NCs) or layers that are one or few atomic layers thick offer advantages in fields from catalysis to optoelectronics. However, they are mostly incompatible with ‘extreme’ conditions, e.g. high levels of radiation, harsh chemicals, or extreme temperatures as found in aerospace or deep-sea infrastructures. To introduce nanomaterials to these conditions, I propose to combine innovative chemical design and surface engineering to create thin films composed of colloidal metal boride NCs. Based on the boron chemistry, these NCs promise unparalleled levels of hardness and wear resistance when processed in thin films, paving the way for the development of solution-processable coatings with many functionalities and resistance to extreme conditions.
I will develop novel metal boride colloidal NCs, study their growth mechanisms and structure-property relationships, use solution processing to create thin films, and determine their mechanical and physical properties as functional materials in extreme conditions.
Main innovations are:(1) as traditional methods have been found wanting in terms of purity, yield, and morphology control, I will introduce innovative high-throughput solid-state synthesis techniques, setting the stage for scalable and reliable production; (2) I will explore the atomic-level surface dynamics and develop suitable ligands to achieve stable suspensions through surface engineering; (3) I will test and validate methodologies to turn individual NCs into solid thin films with similar robustness and stability as bulk materials.
BORNANO aims to introduce a new class of hard coatings and implement innovative processing methods for thin-film fabrication from colloidal suspensions. In parallel, it targets the fundamental understanding of the chemistry of metal boride colloidal NCs and their surface chemistry. These materials have potential applications in extreme condition technologies,from aerospace coatings to sensors.