Abstract:
Desirable composites of polysiloxane polymers and inorganic nanoparticles can be formed based on the appropriate selection of the surface properties of the particles and the chemical properties of the polymer. High loadings of particles can be achieved with good dispersion through the polymer. The composites can have good optical properties. In some embodiments, the inorganic particles are substantially free of surface modification.
Abstract:
Light-driven flow reactors are configured with an aerosol delivery apparatus that is designed to improve the reactive process with respect to forming uniform product compositions at higher rates. In particular, the reactant delivery system can deliver an aerosol having an average droplet size of no more than about 50 microns, and in some embodiments 20 microns, and with less than 1 droplet in 10,000 having a diameter greater than 5 times the average droplet size. In some embodiments, the edge of the aerosol generator can be placed within about 6 centimeters of the edge of the light beam passing through the reaction chamber. The average aerosol velocity can be no more than about 5 meters per second. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator can comprise a non-circular opening and a gas permeable structure that is used to generate a mist that is delivered from the apparatus as an aerosol.
Abstract:
Laser pyrolysis apparatuses can provide for the engineering of product inorganic particles in-flight through the use of jet inlets that introduce a composition, such as an inert gas or a surface modifying composition, at high velocity. Under strong mixing conditions, the inorganic particle flow can be manipulated while also reducing particle agglomeration. These strong mixing apparatuses have been found to be effective at forming high quality crystals with structures that inherently grow relatively slowly through the slowing of the quenching process to maintain the crystal development until a desired high degree of crystallinity is achieved. Also, the surface chemistry of the particles can be manipulated in the flow to engineer desired inorganic particle surface chemistry.
Abstract:
Collections of phosphor particles have achieved improved performance based on improved material properties, such as crystallinity. Display devices can be formed with these improved submicron phosphor particles. Improved processing methods contribute to the improved phosphor particles, which can have high crystallinity and a high degree of particle size uniformity. Dispersions and composites can be effectively formed from the powders of the submicron particle collections.
Abstract:
High rate deposition methods comprise depositing a powder coating from a product flow. The product flow results from a chemical reaction within the flow. Some of the powder coatings consolidate under appropriate conditions into an optical coating. The substrate can have a first optical coating onto which the powder coating is placed. The resulting optical coating following consolidation can have a large index-of-refraction difference with the underlying first optical coating, high thickness and index-of-refraction uniformity across the substrate and high thickness and index-of-refraction uniformity between coatings formed on different substrates under equivalent conditions. In some embodiments, the deposition can result in a powder coating of at least about 100 nm in no more than about 30 minutes with a substrate having a surface area of at least about 25 square centimeters.
Abstract:
Improvements to chemical reaction systems (100) provide for the production of commercial quantities of chemical products, such as chemical powders. The improved chemical reaction systems (100) can accomodate a large reactant flux for the production of significant amounts of product. Preferred reaction systems (100) are based on laser pyrolysis. Features of the system (100) provide for the production of highly uniform product particles.
Abstract:
Monolithic optical structures include a plurality of layer with each layer having an isolated optical pathway confined within a portion of the layer. The monolithic optical structure can be used as an optical fiber preform. Alternatively or additionally, the monolithic optical structure can include integrated optical circuits within one or more layers of the structure. Monolithic optical structures can be formed by performing multiple passes of a substrate through a flowing particle stream. The deposited particles form an optical material following consolidation. Flexible optical fibers include a plurality of independent light channels extending along the length of the optical fiber. The fibers can be pulled from an appropriate preform.
Abstract:
Manganese oxide particles and lithium manganese oxide particles have been produced with an average diameter less than about 500 nm. The particles have a high degree of uniformity including a very narrow distribution of particles sizes. Methods are described for producing metal oxides by performing a reaction with an aerosol including a metal precursor. In particular, the particles can be formed by laser pyrolysis. The lithium manganese oxide particles can be formed by the heat treatment of nanoparticles of manganese oxide. Alternatively, lithium manganese oxide particles can be formed direct ly by laser pyrolysis. The lithium manganese oxide particles are useful as acti ve materials in the positive electrodes of lithium based batteries. Improved batteries result from the use of the uniform nanoscale lithium manganese oxi de particles.
Abstract:
A particle collection apparatus has a chamber, one or more filters and a back pressure system. The filters are located in the flow path through the system to collect the particles from an input gas stream. The back pressure system applies a pulse of gas against the flow through the system to dislodge particles collected on the filters. The dislodged particles fall to a particle drain where they are removed from the system. The particle collection apparatus can be connected to a particle synthesis apparatus. The particle collection apparatus and the particle synthesis apparatus can operated at reduced pressures.
Abstract:
A collection of silicon oxide nanoparticles have an average diameter from about 5 nm to about 100 nm. The collection of silicon oxide nanoparticles effectively include no particles with a diameter greater than about four times the average diameter. The particles generally have a spherical morphology. Methods for producing the nanoparticles involve laser pyrolysis. The silicon oxide nanoparticles are effective for the production of improved polishing compositions including compositions useful for chemical-mechanical polishing.