PEPINEN

Processing and Electron Probing Inorganic Nanostructures for Emerging Nanotechnologies

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Since their discovery carbon nanotubes have generated huge interest due to their one-dimensional nature and their unique physical properties. However, a number of serious obstacles stand in the way of using them as useful functional nanomaterials. They are in fact poorly dispersable in common solvents and generally produced in a wide range of electronic types, with separation by type proving difficult. In view of these issues attention is now moving towards inorganic alternatives. In this context nanowires made up of molybdenum, sulfur and iodine (MoSI) and WS2 nanotubes have been shown to be within the most promising. Easy fabrication readily scaled up for a range of compounds, uniformity in diameters and electronic type and functional properties very similar to carbon nanotubes are among their most important qualities. However, being new class of materials, they are yet to be extensively studied. A complete understanding indeed is crucially required for further exploitation in the numerous technological applications they have been proposed for. The project aims to address crucial problems such as dispersability, processability and manipulation of these objects. Finding the optimal dispersion conditions will powerfully bring these materials on the technological and applicative scene. Once unlocked the solution processing issues other innovative and intriguing aspects will be covered, using the most advanced electron microscopy technologies to intimately understand the role of punctual structural defects in the ultimate physical properties of the materials. Correlation between physical properties and structural modifications will be for the first time established. The success of this proposal will give an important and unique contribute to the field, leading to technological innovations, community relevance and to a significant launch of the researcher, Dr. V. Nicolosi, in her first appointment in an advanced career at interdisciplinary level.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The use of carbon nanotubes for advancing materials and nanotechnology applications has attracted much interest thanks to their unique physical properties. But a number of obstacles limit their widespread use as useful functional nanomaterials.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The limitations of using nanotubes have prompted those in the field to seek out inorganic alternatives. One of these is found in nanowires comprising molybdenum, sulphur and iodine (MoSI), with WS2 nanotubes showing the greatest potential. Among their most attractive properties are easy fabrication that can be readily scaled up, uniformity in diameters and electronic type, and functional properties very similar to carbon nanotubes. Being a new class of materials, however, they have yet to be extensively studied for practical and technological applications.

The 'Processing and electron probing inorganic nanostructures for emerging nanotechnologies' (Pepinen) project aimed to highlight related issues, connecting their ongoing nanotech development with effective use in multifunctional applications. The overarching objective was to investigate the potential of novel nanotubes and nanowires as future nanoscale components.

The EU-funded project conducted a complete structural study of Mo6S4.5I4.5 nanowires using a combination of specific microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. Results revealed that these nanowires have a highly defective, multi-crystallographic nature characterised by a complete absence of long-range order. This outcome was just the opposite in the case of results obtained for the more ordered Mo6S3I6 nanowires.

Determining the structure of the Mo6S4.5I4.5 nanowires allowed researchers to carry out various calculations to predict the electronic behaviour of both single nanowires and nanowire bundles. Other experiments facilitated elucidation of processing issues for Mo6S2I8 nanowires, and the development of methodologies for their dispersion and de-bundling.

Pepinen's focus on essential and high-quality basic and fundamental research contributed to the state of European excellence and competitiveness in the study of inorganic alternatives to carbon nanotubes.