Metal Oxide Nanostructures with Hierarchical Morphology

Boston College
posted on 06/11/2009

The present invention provides economically viable synthetic processes capable of producing free standing varied morphology materials in good yield. The metal oxide materials are comprised of one or more metallic oxides with three-dimensionally ordered nanostructural morphologies, including hierarchical morphologies. The present invention also provides methods for producing such metal oxide materials from the Zn group (including Cd) and Group III (In, Ga, Al).

Suggested Uses

• Economically viable synthetic processes capable of producing free standing varied morphology materials in good yield that have semi-conduction, light emission and photocatalytic properties

Advantages

• Method does not require substrates upon which the metal oxide material is grown and the method provided allows for production of materials in significantly higher yields than the prior art.
• Present invention provides hierarchical nanostructures with various sizes and morphologies including but not limited to nanowalls, nanonails, nanobrushes, nanobelts, and nanowires.
• Greater chemical stability and structural rigidity

Innovation Details

File Number: 2003.001/lao

Other Information:

J. Y. Lao, J. G. Wen, and Z. F. Ren, “Hierarchical ZnO nanostructures”, Nano Letters 2, 1287 – 1291 (2002).

IP Protection