ISBN 978-3-8439-4316-1

978-3-8439-4316-1, Reihe Verfahrenstechnik

Laila Raquel Pasin e Matos
A scalable CVD process for the functionalization of nanoparticle surfaces

130 Seiten, Dissertation Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (2019), Softcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

The chemical industry is constantly adjusting to and simultaneously molding the changing global economic scenario. The continuous acquisition of enabling technologies for (further) development of (new) products, and thus also potentially increasing their market reach and value, is an essential strategy in the industrial context. Nanotechnology is a key, versatile toolbox which enables the re-invention and improvement of products. The new functionality is mainly due to the strongly increased ratio of surface to volume atoms, sharpening the electronic and chemical properties of a material. Solid materials arranged as nanoparticles (powders) present very high surface area to volume ratio, being thus an advantageous substrate matrix for nanotechnology development.

The ability to control a material down to its nanoscale morphology is not straight-forward or intuitive, but requires know-how regarding the system’s behavior, achieved through extensive iterative investigation. The scale-up of technologies enabling the production of nano-materials is also a challenge, as is the handling and transportation of the resulting nanoscaled product.

Surface functionalization is an approach that enables the development of new systems/materials with new and enhanced functions. It consists of modifying (in the scope of this work; through nanoscaled coatings) the surface area of a product, which is the interface with i.e., a chemical reaction volume, and so influencing its functionality and thus performance.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) permits the direct deposition of a solid-phase onto a surface, hence producing a coating. This work focuses on the surface functionalization through CVD for catalytic applications and catalyst structuring, focusing on the enhancement of their activity (per mass unity of active material) and also of their stability against thermal sintering.