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Rocks C, Mitra S, Macias-Montero M, Maguire P, Svrcek V, Levchenko I, Ostrikov K, Mariotti D. Impact of Silicon Nanocrystal Oxidation on the Nonmetallic Growth of Carbon Nanotubes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:19012-19023. [PMID: 27362537 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b02599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanotube (CNT) growth has been demonstrated recently using a number of nonmetallic semiconducting and metal oxide nanoparticles, opening up pathways for direct CNT synthesis from a number of more desirable templates without the need for metallic catalysts. However, CNT growth mechanisms using these nonconventional catalysts has been shown to largely differ and reamins a challenging synthesis route. In this contribution we show CNT growth from partially oxidized silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) that exhibit quantum confinement effects using a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. On the basis of solvent and a postsynthesis frgamentation process, we show that oxidation of our Si NCs can be easily controlled. We determine experimentally and explain with theoretical simulations that the Si NCs morphology together with a necessary shell oxide of ∼1 nm is vital to allow for the nonmetallic growth of CNTs. On the basis of chemical analysis post-CNT-growth, we give insight into possible mechanisms for CNT nucleation and growth from our partially oxidized Si NCs. This contribution is of significant importance to the improvement of nonmetallic catalysts for CNT growth and the development of Si NC/CNT interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor Rocks
- Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University , Coleraine, Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Somak Mitra
- Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University , Coleraine, Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Macias-Montero
- Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University , Coleraine, Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Maguire
- Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University , Coleraine, Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir Svrcek
- Research Center for Photovoltaics, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Central 2, Umezono 1-1-1, Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan
| | - Igor Levchenko
- School of Chemistry, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Kostya Ostrikov
- School of Chemistry, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Joint CSIRO-QUT Sustainable Materials and Devices Laboratory, CSIRO , P.O. Box 218, Lindfield, New South Wales 2070, Australia
| | - Davide Mariotti
- Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University , Coleraine, Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
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Li H, Wu Z, Zhou T, Sellinger A, Lusk MT. Tailoring the optical gap of silicon quantum dots without changing their size. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2014; 16:19275-81. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cp03042g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The optical gap of silicon quantum dots can be tailored, independent of their size, via direct generation of spatially separated excitons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huashan Li
- Department of Physics
- Colorado School of Mines
- Golden, USA
| | - Zhigang Wu
- Department of Physics
- Colorado School of Mines
- Golden, USA
| | - Tianlei Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry
- Colorado School of Mines
- Golden, USA
| | - Alan Sellinger
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry
- Colorado School of Mines
- Golden, USA
| | - Mark T. Lusk
- Department of Physics
- Colorado School of Mines
- Golden, USA
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