Going big with nano
Nanoscientists have just proved that good things really do come in (super) small packages. Building on decades of research, they have devised a way to easily grow nanomaterials that are both large enough for industrial applications and recyclable.
Scaling up nanomaterial synthesis into useful materials has been an ongoing challenge, as stacking nanosheets often leads to “stacking defects,” or gaps between the sheets. Now, researchers led by Ting Xu, professor of materials science and engineering and of chemistry, and faculty senior scientist at Berkeley Lab, have developed a nanosheet material that self-assembles, forming hundreds of nanosheets simultaneously, without gaps.
To build the nanosheets, researchers used a blend of materials known to self-assemble into small particles with alternating layers of the component materials suspended in a solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the small particles come together and spontaneously organize, coarsely templating layers, and then solidify into dense nanosheets.
The nanocomposite blend can be used to form a protective barrier on multiple surfaces, like the glass screen of an electronic device. The material also can be redissolved and recast to produce a fresh barrier coating. The nanosheets, about the width of a human hair, could radically accelerate the development of sustainable nanomaterials for electronics, energy storage, and health and safety. Such materials may significantly extend the shelf life of consumer products and keep single-use packaging and electronics out of landfills.
Learn more: Scaling up nano for sustainable manufacturing (Berkeley Lab); Functional composites by programming entropy-driven nanosheet growth (Nature)