(578a) Bulk Production of Metal Oxide Nanowires Using A Novel Microwave Plasma Reactor

Nanowires are beginning to be used in electronics, optoelectronics, electrochemical cells, nanoelectromechanical devices, catalysis, and several other fields. Synthesis of bulk quantities of nanowires with controlled composition, crystallinity and morphology is important to continued development of nanowire technology. For many applications, nanowire quantities of several grams or more are needed. Bulk quantities of nanowires have been difficult to produce using the methods known so far.

A novel method is used to produce bulk quantities of high purity metal oxide nanowires using a custom made high throughput microwave plasma reactor. Low cost, very fast, large scale production of different metal oxide nanowires can be accomplished using this technique. Also, there is no need of any catalyst, substrate or template to produce the nanowires. So far we have produced bulk quantities of tin oxide, zinc oxide, copper-zinc oxide and titanium oxide nanowires. The underlying synthesis concept is the direct reaction between a metal or metal precursor and oxygen containing plasmas resulting in the production of nanowires directly in the gas phase. Initial results show theoretical nanowire production capacity to the tune of kilograms per day. Pure nanowires are obtained by a dispersion in 1-methoxy 2-proponal followed by a horn sonication and gravity sedimentation.