Matching Items (2)
Description
The rapid progress of solution-phase synthesis has led colloidal nanocrystals one of the most versatile nanoscale materials, provided opportunities to tailor material's properties, and boosted related technological innovations. Colloidal nanocrystal-based materials have been demonstrated success in a variety of applications, such as LEDs, electronics, solar cells and thermoelectrics. In each of these applications, the thermal transport property plays a big role. An undesirable temperature rise due to inefficient heat dissipation could lead to deleterious effects on devices' performance and lifetime. Hence, the first project is focused on investigating the thermal transport in colloidal nanocrystal solids. This study answers the question that how the molecular structure of nanocrystals affect the thermal transport, and provides insights for future device designs. In particular, PbS nanocrystals is used as a monitoring system, and the core diameter, ligand length and ligand binding group are systematically varied to study the corresponding effect on thermal transport.
Next, a fundamental study is presented on the phase stability and solid-liquid transformation of metallic (In, Sn and Bi) colloidal nanocrystals. Although the phase change of nanoparticles has been a long-standing research topic, the melting behavior of colloidal nanocrytstals is largely unexplored. In addition, this study is of practical importance to nanocrystal-based applications that operate at elevated temperatures. Embedding colloidal nanocrystals into thermally-stable polymer matrices allows preserving nanocrystal size throughout melt-freeze cycles, and therefore enabling observation of stable melting features. Size-dependent melting temperature, melting enthalpy and melting entropy have all been measured and discussed.
In the next two chapters, focus has been switched to developing colloidal nanocrystal-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage applications. In Chapter 4, a polymer matrix phase change nanocomposite has been created. In this composite, the melting temperature and energy density could be independently controlled by tuning nanocrystal diameter and volume fractions. In Chapter 5, a solution-phase synthesis on metal matrix-metal nanocrytal composite is presented. This approach enables excellent morphological control over nanocrystals and demonstrated a phase change composite with a thermal conductivity 2 - 3 orders of magnitude greater than typical phase change materials, such as organics and molten salts.
Next, a fundamental study is presented on the phase stability and solid-liquid transformation of metallic (In, Sn and Bi) colloidal nanocrystals. Although the phase change of nanoparticles has been a long-standing research topic, the melting behavior of colloidal nanocrytstals is largely unexplored. In addition, this study is of practical importance to nanocrystal-based applications that operate at elevated temperatures. Embedding colloidal nanocrystals into thermally-stable polymer matrices allows preserving nanocrystal size throughout melt-freeze cycles, and therefore enabling observation of stable melting features. Size-dependent melting temperature, melting enthalpy and melting entropy have all been measured and discussed.
In the next two chapters, focus has been switched to developing colloidal nanocrystal-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage applications. In Chapter 4, a polymer matrix phase change nanocomposite has been created. In this composite, the melting temperature and energy density could be independently controlled by tuning nanocrystal diameter and volume fractions. In Chapter 5, a solution-phase synthesis on metal matrix-metal nanocrytal composite is presented. This approach enables excellent morphological control over nanocrystals and demonstrated a phase change composite with a thermal conductivity 2 - 3 orders of magnitude greater than typical phase change materials, such as organics and molten salts.
ContributorsLiu, Minglu (Author) / Wang, Robert Y (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Rykaczewski, Konrad (Committee member) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Dai, Lenore (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
The Intercoupling of Thermal Transport and Mechanical Properties in Colloidal Nanocrystal Assemblies
Description
Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) are promising candidates for a wide range of applications (electronics, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, thermoelectrics, etc.). Mechanical and thermal transport property play very important roles in all of these applications. On one hand, mechanical robustness and high thermal conductivity are desired in electronics, optoelectronics, and photovoltaics. This improves thermomechanical stability and minimizes the temperature rise during the device operation. On the other hand, low thermal conductivity is desired for higher thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). This dissertation demonstrates that ligand structure and nanocrystal ordering are the primary determining factors for thermal transport and mechanical properties in colloidal nanocrystal assemblies. To eliminate the mechanics and thermal transport barrier, I first propose a ligand crosslinking method to improve the thermal transport across the ligand-ligand interface and thus increasing the overall thermal conductivity of NC assemblies. Young’s modulus of nanocrystal solids also increases simultaneously upon ligand crosslinking. My thermal transport measurements show that the thermal conductivity of the iron oxide NC solids increases by a factor of 2-3 upon ligand crosslinking. Further, I demonstrate that, though with same composition, long-range ordered nanocrystal superlattices possess higher mechanical and thermal transport properties than disordered nanocrystal thin films. Experimental measurements along with theoretical modeling indicate that stronger ligand-ligand interaction in NC superlattice accounts for the improved mechanics and thermal transport. This suggests that NC/ligand arranging order also plays important roles in determining mechanics and thermal transport properties of NC assemblies. Lastly, I show that inorganic ligand functionalization could lead to tremendous mechanical enhancement (a factor of ~60) in NC solids. After ligand exchange and drying, the short inorganic Sn2S64- ligands dissociate into a few atomic layers of amorphous SnS2 at room temperature and interconnects the neighboring NCs. I observe a reverse Hall-Petch relation as the size of NC decreases. Both atomistic simulations and analytical phase mixture modeling identify the grain boundaries and their activities as the mechanic bottleneck.
ContributorsWang, Zhongyong (Author) / Wang, Robert RW (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping LW (Committee member) / Newman, Nathan NN (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021