Green Nano-Materials, Chemistry & Manufacturing

The aim of this effort is to develop methods of manufacturing nanoparticles using a process that is efficient and minimizes waste, while maintaining the properties needed for high-performance applications.

Contacts

Researchers

Chih-hung [Alex] Chang, Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering
Electronic materials (growth and characterization); integrated micro-chemical systems; thin film electronics; nanomaterials processing

John Conley, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Thin film materials & devices; atomic layer deposition; coating, directed assembly, and device applications of nanomaterials; reliability, radiation effects, and structure of electrically active point defects

Karl Haapala, Mechanical, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Life cycle engineering; manufacturing process modeling for environmental performance improvement; evaluation of novel approaches for environmental impact reduction

Stacey Harper, Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering/Environmental & Molecular Toxicology
Comparative ecotoxicology; biological response modifiers of oxidative stress; knowledgebase of Nanomaterial-Biological Interactions

Greg Herman, Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering
Detailed mechanistic characterization of heterogeneous catalysts using surface science techniques; advance fabrication methods and designs for solid oxide fuel cells; development of green manufacturing processes for displays and solar cells; development and characterization of novel optical and electrical materials; advancement of flexible electronic manufacturing methods and applications

Douglas Keszler, Chemistry
Synthesis and study of a variety of new optical, electro-optical, and electronic inorganic materials

Brian K. Paul, Mechanical, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Arrayed microfluidics for green nanosynthesis and microreactor-assisted materials processing; precision bonding for microsystem packaging; packaging of arrayed microfluidic systems for distributed and portable energy, chemical and biomedical applications, especially microlamination

John Wager, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Solid state materials and devices (thin film synthesis, device characterization, and modeling)

Key Facilities

Microproducts Breakthrough Institute (MBI)
The MBI is a collaboration between the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Oregon State University (OSU). PNNL's thrust is Micro Chemical and Thermal Systems (MICROCATS) while OSU concentrates on Micro Energy and Chemical Systems (MECS).

Center For Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon (CAMCOR)
A full-service, comprehensive materials characterization center located at the University of Oregon in Eugene open to outside clients. Its core capabilities include capital-intensive equipment for microanalysis, surface analysis, electron microscopy, semiconductor device fabrication, as well as traditional chemical characterization.

Center for Green Materials Chemistry
Pursues the study and design of environmentally benign chemistry platforms for the fabrication of high-performance inorganic electronic devices. Researchers are working to revolutionize device fabrication for applications spanning the space from large-area displays and electronics to nanoscale integrated circuits.

Center for Inverse Design
The Center uses theory and computation along with other experimental methods to more rapidly identify the advanced materials that can make solar power less costly and more efficient.

OSU Electron Microscopy Facility
The new imaging facility will house state-of-the-art instrumentation including FEI, SEM, ESEM, and FIB for analysis at the atomic level.These instruments will provide essential SEM capabilities, provide the ability to do “slice and view” examination of materials and allow the preparation of materials for examination by TEM.

Chemistry Department Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility
The NMR facility will house state-of-the-art instrumentation that will provide faculty and their researchers with access to world class equipment for conducting cutting edge research.

Commercialization

CSD Nano
CSD Nano is developing the future of solution deposition through new manufacturing equipment and techniques. The CSD Nano continuous solution deposition techniques apply to a wide variety of industries including auto glass, eyeglasses, photovoltaic solar cells, and building materials.

Inpria
Inpria are demonstrating application of a new technology that provides highly efficient deposition of and patterning of functional materials for device applications at all length scales.

Nanobits
Nanobits makes continuous flow microreactor systems that provide the following advantages to the specialty chemical and nanomaterial industries.

Research Partners

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Northwestern University

Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

• Daniel Palo
• Terry Hendricks

Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative (SNNI)

Stanford University

University of Oregon

• Jim Hutchison
• Darren Johnson
• Dave Johnson

Projects

Advanced Thermal Films for Microelectronics Cooling
(Chang, Paul, Palo, Hendricks)

• Reduce 4-5x improvement in thermal flux from an aluminum surface.
• 30 percent reduction in component temperature.
• Single-minute deposition at room temperature for lower cost, less energy usage, more effective material usage.

Advanced Catalytic Films for Fuel Reforming
(Chang, Paul, Palo)

• Improving the activity of heavy metal catalysts.
• Applications include generating hydrogen fuel cells, taking biomass to hydrocarbon fuel, carbon capture, increasing absoption of solar thermal fuel processing.
• Single-minute deposition at room temperature for lower cost, less energy usage, more effective material usage.
• Nanoparticle brazing to lower catalyst packaging temperatures.

Nanofluid Lubrication
(Paul, Haapala)

• Synthesis of safer, low cost, and environmentally benign nanofluids for lubrication.
• Applications include metalworking fluids, metal cutting fluids, wind turbines.

Environmental Analysis of Nano-assisted Diffusion Brazing
(Haapala, Paul)

• Reduction in bonding temperatures through application of metal nanoparticles.
• Reduction in the amount of filler metal and elimination of temperature depressant material needed for conventional processing.
• Life cycle analysis predicts 33% less impact due to electricity use and up to 16% reduction in overall environmental impact.

Green Materials and Processing: Approaching the Atom Scale
(Keszler, Wager, Dave Johnson, Darren Johnson)

• Designing molecular inks for printable high quality films.
• Examining film chemistry to realize novel compositions for enhanced electrical properties at the nanoscale.
• Fabricating vertical transport devices for high speed performance and low cost manufacturing.
• Enabling extension of current photolithographic techniques to the extreme end of the nanoscale.

Nanoengineered MIM Diodes for Rectenna Applications
(Conley, Keszler, Wager, Johnson)

• A rectenna is an integrated receiving antenna and diode that captures electromagnetic energy and converts it to DC power.
• For infrared (IR) energy-harvesting applications in the ~10μm/ 30-THz regime, a high-frequency metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunneling diode is typically used for AC-to-DC rectification.
• Goal is to explore the applicability of new materials, device architectures, and processing technologies for the realization of novel MIM diodes for rectenna applications.
• Collaboration with the Army Research Laboratory and UO.