Synthesis of uniform nanoparticle shapes with high selectivity
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention provide a method of making non-spherical nanoparticles that includes (a) combining a source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid; a source of a Group 15 or 16 element; and a source of a quaternary ammonium compound or phosphonium compound; and (b) isolating non-spherical nanoparticles from the resulting reaction mixture. Other embodiments of the invention provide non-spherical nanoparticle compositions, that are the reaction product of a source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid; a source of a Group 15 or 16 element; and a source of a quaternary ammonium compound or phosphonium compound; wherein nanoparticle tetrapods comprise 75-100 number percent of the nanoparticle products.
1. A method of making non-spherical nanoparticles, comprising:
(a) combining under reaction conditions in an organic solvent, without adding water, a source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid; a source of a Group 15 or 16 element; and a source of a quaternary ammonium compound or phosphonium compound; wherein the source of Group 15 or 16 element and the source of a quaternary ammonium compound are combined prior to being combined with the source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid; and
(b) isolating non-spherical nanoparticles from a resulting reaction mixture.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of quaternary ammonium compound includes a tetraalkyl ammonium compound.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid is provided as a precursor solution.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the precursor solution is derived from a metal oxide source.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the precursor solution is derived from a metal or metalloid is selected from the group consisting of zinc, cadmium, mercury, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, and bismuth.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid is cadmium.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium compounds.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tetraalkylammonium compound is asymmetrical.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is cetyltrimethylammonium.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is didodecyldimethylammonium bromide.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-spherical nanoparticles comprise at least 75-100 number percent of the nanoparticle products isolated from the reaction mixture.
12. A method of making tetrapod nanoparticles, comprising:
a) combining an organic solvent and a source of a Group 15 or 16 element and a source of a asymmetric quaternary ammonium compound to form a first mixture;
b) adding the first mixture of step a) to a heated source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid to form a resulting mixture;
wherein no water is added to steps a) or b); and
c) isolating nanoparticles from the resulting mixture of step b), wherein at least 75% of the isolated nanoparticles are tetrapods.