Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons^™

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Processing Of Nano - Clays And Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites, Mihai Manitiu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Effective dispersion of the fillers in a polymer matrix and improvement of polymer-clay interactions are two key challenges in the field of nanocomposites. A novel processing method that utilizes the unique properties of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) to disperse nano-clay and prepare a series of polymer/clay nanocomposites with enhanced properties was explored.

Significant dispersion was achieved using the scCO2 process with Cloisite 10A without the presence of an organic phase as evident by the absence of the diffraction peak in WAXD and the presence of individual tactoids that lost their parallel registry. The expanded flexible structure of the scCO2 processed …

Synthetic Levers Enabling Control Of Phase, Size And Morphology In Transition Metal Phosphide Nanoparticles (Fe, Ni), Elayaraja Muthuswamy

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

SYNTHETIC LEVERS ENABLING CONTROL OF PHASE, SIZE AND MORPHOLOGY IN TRANSITION METAL PHOSPHIDE NANOPARTICLES (FE, NI)

by

ELAYARAJA MUTHUSWAMY

May 2011

Advisor:Dr. Stephanie L. Brock

Major: Chemistry

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This dissertation study focuses on (1) development of a synthetic strategy to control phase in nanoscale iron phosphides; (2) extension of the developed phase control strategy to the nanoscale nickel phosphide system with simultaneous control on size and morphology and (3) illustration of the enhanced reactivity of nanoscale oxide systems.

A synthetic strategy to control phase in nanoscale iron phosphides was developed to prepare phase-pure samples of …