Super-Abundant Size-Selected Cluster Technology for Nanoscale Design of Functional Materials
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Size-selected clusters are collections of atoms, from 2 to ~20,000, with diameters between a few Angstroms and ~20nm. The remarkable physical and chemical properties of clusters depend on the number of atoms they contain and differ dramatically from the corresponding individual atoms and bulk solids. They have numerous potential applications, as catalytic particles, as components of novel electronic and photonic materials and sensors, as binding sites for protein molecules in biochips, as environmental reference materials, etc etc.
The best current cluster beam sources are limited to the production of ~1microgram of clusters per day. I propose a method to increase that rate by 10 orders of magnitude, transforming the field.
The enormous increase in the availability of size-selected clusters produced by the "Matrix-Assembly Cluster Source" (MACS) is expected to open up completely new horizons across a wide range of disciplines - from physics and chemistry to biology and engineering - and applications, creating significant opportunities for radical advances in both basic science and advanced technology, notably in the nanoscale design of functional materials.
The best current cluster beam sources are limited to the production of ~1microgram of clusters per day. I propose a method to increase that rate by 10 orders of magnitude, transforming the field.
The enormous increase in the availability of size-selected clusters produced by the "Matrix-Assembly Cluster Source" (MACS) is expected to open up completely new horizons across a wide range of disciplines - from physics and chemistry to biology and engineering - and applications, creating significant opportunities for radical advances in both basic science and advanced technology, notably in the nanoscale design of functional materials.
Planned Impact
Since the principle of the proposed cluster beam technology is completely original and the increase in the rate of production of size-selected clusters envisaged is as large as 5-10 orders of magnitude, the project offers very considerable potential for eventual economic impact.
It would probably not be possible to given a comprehensive list of the potential opportunities arising but in the Pathways to Impact document we seek to illustrate the range of possibilities and the diversity of sectors that could be impacted by the capacity to generate super-abundant quantities of precisely defined nanostructures in the size regime 1-10nm. This breadth of opportunities also provides a menu for the proposed demonstration experiments described in the main body of the proposal (Case for Support).
To consider just a few examples, the new level of cluster flux in the lab setting envisaged in this proposal (i.e. an increase over the current state of the art by up to 8 orders of magnitude) will enable facile preparation of biochip surfaces, optical films and precision catalysts for R&D at the test-tube or flask scale. The production rates ultimately available in an industrial setting (i.e. an increase of 10 orders of magnitude over current levels) should further enable viable manufacture of industrial quantities of colloids, pharmaceutical catalysts and coatings as well as novel electronic materials (e.g. variable capacitors).
The proposal includes provision for technical demonstrations and meetings with potential UK exploitation partners as well as a half-day event promoting the technology to UK companies, probably in year 4 or thereabouts.
These technical opportunities go along with the multiplicity of new, fundamental cluster studies that we expect to be enabled by this breakthrough technology.
It would probably not be possible to given a comprehensive list of the potential opportunities arising but in the Pathways to Impact document we seek to illustrate the range of possibilities and the diversity of sectors that could be impacted by the capacity to generate super-abundant quantities of precisely defined nanostructures in the size regime 1-10nm. This breadth of opportunities also provides a menu for the proposed demonstration experiments described in the main body of the proposal (Case for Support).
To consider just a few examples, the new level of cluster flux in the lab setting envisaged in this proposal (i.e. an increase over the current state of the art by up to 8 orders of magnitude) will enable facile preparation of biochip surfaces, optical films and precision catalysts for R&D at the test-tube or flask scale. The production rates ultimately available in an industrial setting (i.e. an increase of 10 orders of magnitude over current levels) should further enable viable manufacture of industrial quantities of colloids, pharmaceutical catalysts and coatings as well as novel electronic materials (e.g. variable capacitors).
The proposal includes provision for technical demonstrations and meetings with potential UK exploitation partners as well as a half-day event promoting the technology to UK companies, probably in year 4 or thereabouts.
These technical opportunities go along with the multiplicity of new, fundamental cluster studies that we expect to be enabled by this breakthrough technology.
People |
ORCID iD |
Richard Palmer (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Alshammari K
(2020)
Optimization of sol-immobilized bimetallic Au-Pd/TiO2 catalysts: reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol for wastewater remediation.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Arkill KP
(2015)
Using size-selected gold clusters on graphene oxide films to aid cryo-transmission electron tomography alignment.
in Scientific reports
Ayodele O
(2019)
Synergistic Computational-Experimental Discovery of Highly Selective PtCu Nanocluster Catalysts for Acetylene Semihydrogenation
in ACS Catalysis
Bauer K
(2017)
A proximal retarding field analyzer for scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy.
in Nanotechnology
Blackmore CE
(2015)
Modular construction of size-selected multiple-core Pt-TiO2 nanoclusters for electro-catalysis.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Cai R
(2017)
A new method to prepare colloids of size-controlled clusters from a matrix assembly cluster source
in APL Materials
Cai R
(2018)
Performance of Preformed Au/Cu Nanoclusters Deposited on MgO Powders in the Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol in Solution.
in Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Cai R
(2020)
Scale-Up of Cluster Beam Deposition to the Gram Scale with the Matrix Assembly Cluster Source for Heterogeneous Catalysis (Catalytic Ozonation of Nitrophenol in Aqueous Solution)
in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Description | Progress is reflected in recent publications, and objectives have been met in line with expectations at this stage (funding ends in 2019). The scale-up of cluster production by 5 orders of magnitude, from the nanogram to milligram per hour regime, has been demonstrated in the project, as well as applications of the clusters in catalysis. |
Exploitation Route | Collaborations with industrial partners such as Johnson Matthey (catalysts) and Teer Coatings (surface coatings technology). A new spin-out company has been formed, Grove Nanomaterials, with the intention of exploiting the MACS technique and the new materials generated. |
Sectors | Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Palmer6 |
Description | The research focussed on the development of new technology to achieve the super-abundant production of size-selected clusters, as well as investigating prospective applications of the size-selected clusters. Research findings have been disseminated through national and international conferences from an early stage of the project, an example being the Manufacturing the Future conference in Glasgow, UK (2014). Grove Nanomaterials Ltd has been founded by Swansea University to exploit the results of the project and subsequent research. Johnson Matthey has renewed their sponsorship of research with the MACS through a studentship jointly with the M2A EngD CDT. Interest in the materials has been expressed by other major companies too, such as Exxon and GSK. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Chemicals,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Company Name | Grove Nanomaterials Ltd |
Description | Set up to exploit applications of the Matrix Assembly Cluster Source (MACS) and of catalyst powder generation by thin film dicing. The IPR (2 patents) captured at Birmingham University has now been transferred to Swansea University, ready for assignment to Grove. |
Year Established | 2018 |
Impact | The current focus is recruitment of a suitable CEO to lead external funding raising for Grove. |