Post-processing of novel metallorganic precursors can allow for the preparation of nanostructured materials. By careful design of these starting materials, nanoparticles with specific properties may be tailored. This not only allows for the development of interesting chemical routes, but opens up a ‘bottom-up’ design approach to new materials.
The top panel shows microscopy images of magnetite nanocrystals prepared by a modified sol-gel method, using the first heterometallic Fe(II) alkoxide precursor, [(THF)NaFe(OtBu)3]2. The bottom panel shows how similar sol-gel processing of the Fe(II) alkoxide [Fe(OBut)2(THF)]2 in the presence of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in various ratios affords new silica-iron oxide magnetic nanocomposite materials, ranging in shape from nanocrystals to nanorods depending on the percentage of TEOS added.
Selected publications
J. Vidal Laveda, V. Chandhok, C. A. Murray, G. W. Paterson and S. A. Corr, Chem. Commun., 2016, Accepted manuscript. DOI
Corr, Gun’ko, Douvalis, Venkatesan, Gunning, Nellist, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2008, 112, 1008. DOI
Corr, Gun’ko, Douvalis, Venkatesan, Gunning, J. Mater. Chem., 2004, 14, 944-946. DOI
Cussen group | Energy Materials Research at Sheffield 