(5bv) Development of Reactive Nanostructured Systems for Energy, Environmental and Biomedical Applications

The main topic of this presentation will focus on the fundamental aspects of strongly reactive/exothermic nano-particulate systems and its potential for fabrication of advanced nanomaterials and devices for applications of power systems, energy storage, environmental, national security and health care. I will discuss novel reactive systems that have the potential to enable a more concentrated energy release and potentially can be used for various military applications. In addition, a novel cost-effective and energy efficient fabrication method of nanostructured complex oxides that we referred to as Carbon Combustion Synthesis of Oxides (CCSO) will be presented. In this process, the reactive oxidation of carbon/graphite nanoparticles generates a steep thermal wave (temperature gradient of up to 500 C/cm) that propagates through the solid reactant mixture (oxides, carbonates or nitrates) converting it to the desired product. The high rate of CO2 release enables synthesis of highly porous, crystalline single phase complex oxides having a particle size in the range of 50-800 nm. The experimental results of fabrication of various devices such as hard and soft magnetic systems, bulk ceramic resistors, capacitors, catalysts, MRI contrast agents will be presented. Key factors that affected to the phase composition, particle size, and morphology of compositions as well as coercivity, magnetization, conductivity and other device characteristics will be discussed.