Nanoparticle composition and methods of making the same
A method of fabricating copper nanoparticles includes heating a copper salt solution that includes a copper salt, an N,N-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.; heating a reducing agent solution that includes a reducing agent, an N,N-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.; and adding the heated copper salt solution to the heated reducing agent solution, thereby producing copper nanoparticles. A composition includes copper nanoparticles, a C6-C18 alkylamine and an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine ligand. Such copper nanoparticles in this composition have a fusion temperature between about 100° C. to about 200° C. A surfactant system for the stabilizing copper nanoparticles includes an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine and a C6-C18 alkylamine.
1. A method of fabricating copper nanoparticles comprising:
heating a copper salt solution comprising a copper salt, an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.;
heating a reducing agent solution comprising a reducing agent, an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.; and
adding the heated copper salt solution to the heated reducing agent solution, thereby producing copper nanoparticles.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the copper salt is selected from a copper halide, copper nitrate, copper acetate, copper sulfate, copper formate, and copper oxide.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the copper halide is selected from copper chloride, copper bromide, and copper iodide.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the copper halide is copper chloride.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent is triglyme.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine comprises a C1-C4 N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is a C7-C10 alkylamine.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-heptylamine.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-octylamine.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-nonylamine.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent is sodium borohydride.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the produced copper nanoparticles range in size from between about 1 nm to about 10 nm.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the solution of copper salt and the solution of reducing agent is in a range from between about 30° C. to about 45° C.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the produced copper nanoparticles range in size from between about 1 nm to about 5 nm.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the solution of copper salt and the solution of reducing agent is in a range from between about 45° C. to about 50° C.
16. The method of claim 15 , the produced copper nanoparticles range in size from between about 5 nm to about 10 nm.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addition step is performed in less than 5 minutes.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addition step is performed in less than 4 minutes.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addition step is performed in less than 3 minutes.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addition step is performed in less than 2 minutes.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the addition step is performed in less than 1 minute.
22. A stabilized copper nanoparticle made by a method comprising:
heating a copper salt solution comprising a copper salt, an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.;
heating a reducing agent solution comprising a reducing agent, an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine, and a C6-C18 alkylamine in an organic solvent to a temperature between about 30° C. to about 50° C.; and
adding the heated copper salt solution to the heated reducing agent solution, thereby producing copper nanoparticles.
23. A composition comprising copper nanoparticles, a C6-C18 alkylamine and an N,N′-dialkylethylenediamine ligand, said copper nanoparticles of said composition having a fusion temperature between about 100° C. to about 200° C.
24. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is a C7-C10 alkylamine.
25. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-heptylamine.
26. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-octylamine.
27. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the C6-C18 alkylamine is n-nonylamine.
28. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the copper nanoparticles range in size from between about 1 nm to about 10 nm.
29. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the copper nanoparticles range in size from between about 1 nm to about 5 nm.