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STTR Phase I: Fabrication of Coaxial Nanowires/Nanocables Using Carbon Nanotubes

Award Information
Agency: National Science Foundation
Branch: N/A
Contract: 0539536
Agency Tracking Number: 0539536
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: EL
Solicitation Number: NSF 05-557
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2005
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
580 Burbank Street Unit 100
Broomfield, CO 80020
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Christopher Gump
 Dr
 (303) 318-4143
 cgump@aldnanosolutions.com
Business Contact
 Karen Buechler
Phone: (303) 318-4142
Email: buechler@aldnanosolutions.com
Research Institution
 Univ of CO Boulder
 Guodong Zhan
 
3100 Marine Street
Boulder, CO 80309
United States

 (303) 492-1340
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project provides for the commercialization of composite alumina/tungsten/alumina (Al2O3/W/Al2O3) trilayers deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form coaxial nanowires/nanocables for nanoelectronic applications. Such coaxial nanostructures can be fabricated by first coating CNTs with a conformal and pinhole-free insulating nanolayer of an alumina (Al2O3) sheath to isolate and insulate the nanotubes from their surroundings. Second, a conductive W ALD film will be deposited on the insulating Al2O3 film, providing the second conducting layer. Third, a second insulating Al2O3 sheath is placed over the W layer providing for the completed coaxial nanocable. The thickness of each of the layers in the Al2O3/W/Al2O3 trilayer can be controlled to within approximately 0.1 nanometers by self-limiting ALD surface chemistry processing. This fabrication of a coaxial nanocable has already been demonstrated by the proposing research team at the microgram scale and will be scaled-up to ~ 10 grams using a scalable vibro/stirred fluidized bed reactor process. The novel CNT ALD nanowires or nanocables can be used as building blocks for future nanoscale devices, prototype power cables or "quantum wires". The potential impact extends far beyond this proposed nanocable/nanowire application. Nanoscience will only achieve true "disruptive" technology status if the individual surfaces of nanoparticles and nanotubes can be functionalized. ALD nanocoating of nanoparticles and nanotubes provides such an opportunity. It is now possible to produce nanoparticles and nanotubes with designed electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, rheological, or other properties. Markets for such functionalized nanoparticles and nanotubes include microelectronics, defense, hard metals, cosmetics, drug delivery, energetic materials, and polymer/ceramic nanocomposites, among others.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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