Synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites based on nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Klinke
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 134348024

Novel applications on the nanoscale rely on the design of tailored nano-architectures. For this purpose, carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles are intensively investigated. The marriage of those two systems is predicted to show interesting synergetic effects, especially in terms of photoelectric and mechanical properties. On the one hand, semiconducting nanoparticles (quantum dots) can harvest light very efficiently. On the other hand, carbon nanotubes are ballistic conductors over micrometer lengths even at room temperature which can carry extremely high current densities. Hybrid systems composed of semiconductor nanoparticles and nanotubes could improve the photosensitivity of nanotubular structures substantially. Thus, one of the potential applications is their use as photo-active material in future highly efficient solar cells. Furthermore, carbon nanotubes are considered as strengthening elements for polymeric composite materials in order to enhance their tensile strength, since carbon nanotubes are the material with one of the highest tensile strengths. Using nanoparticles as cross struts could lead to very efficient anchoring of the nanotubes in the polymer matrix.In the frame of this project the attachment of inorganic nanoparticles, in particular semiconducting ones, to single- and multiwall carbon nanotubes, will be investigated. Nowadays high quality nanoparticles with various shapes can be synthesized by colloidal chemistry procedures. In our approach the nanotubes will be introduced directly into the synthesis of the nanoparticles. Moreover, the general influence of unfunctionalized carbon nanotubes on the synthesis of nanoparticles by means of organic colloidal routes will be studied in terms of nanoparticle size and shape, influence of the strength of the involved ligands, as well as crystallographic adaptation at the nanotube–nanoparticle interface. In particular, the project will concentrate on the interesting model systems CdSe, ZnO, and PbS. Later, for comparison reasons other related system like CdTe, ZnS, and PbSe will be studied as well.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Horst Weller