Methods of Preparing High Orientation Nanoparticle-Containing Sheets or Films Using Ionic Liquids, and the Sheets or Films Produced Thereby

Abstract

A method is provided for the preparation of nanomaterials, which involves the dissolution and/or suspension of a combination of (a) one or more resin substrate materials and (b) one or more magnetic nanoparticutate substances, in a medium made from one or more ionic liquids, to provide a mixture, and recovering the solid nanomaterial by combining the mixture with a non-solvent (solvent for the ionic liquids but not the other components), while also applying an electromagnetic field to the mixture during the recovering step to align the magnetic nanoparticulate substances, along with the use of the resulting nanomaterials to provide unique information storage media, particularly in the form of sheets or films.

1 . A method for making a nanomaterial, comprising:
 a. dissolving and/or suspending a combination of (i) one or more resin substrate materials and (ii) one or more magnetic nanoparticulate substances in a medium comprising one or more ionic liquids, to provide a mixture; and   b. recovering a solid nanomaterial comprising the one or more resin substrate materials having the one or more magnetic nanoparticulate substances distributed therein, by combining the mixture with a non-solvent;   
       wherein during the recovery step, an electromagnetic field is applied to the mixture to align the one or more nanoparticulate substances within the one or more resin substrate materials. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field is a uniaxial electromagnetic field. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field is a biaxial electromagnetic field. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field is a triaxial electromagnetic field. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more resin substrate materials are at least one member selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polysiloxanes, phenol polymers, polysulfides, polyacetals, polyolefins, acrylates, methacrylates, polyamides, polyesters, polyimideamides, polybenzoimide, aramides, polyimides, and dienes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more resin substrate materials comprises cellulose or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medium comprises one or more ionic liquids having a cation portion of the one or more ionic liquids formed from at least one member selected from the group consisting of imidazoles, pyrazoles, thiazoles, isothiazoles, azathiozoles, oxothiazoles, oxazines, oxazolines, oxazaboroles, dithiozoles, triazoles, selenozoles, oxaphospholes, pyrroles, boroles, furans, thiophens, phospholes, pentazoles, indoles, indolines, oxazoles, isoxazoles, isotriazoles, tetrazoles, benzofurans, dibenzofurans, benzothiophens, dibenzothiophens, thiadiazoles, pyridines, pyrimidines, pyrazines, pyridazines, piperazines, piperidines, morpholones, pyrans, annolines, phthalazines, quinazolines and quinoxalines, quinolines, pyrrolidines, isoquinolines, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medium comprises one or more ionic liquids having an anionic portion of the one or more ionic liquids formed from at least one member selected from the group consisting of halogens, BX 4   − , PF 6   − , AsF 6   − , SbF 6   − , NO 2   − , NO 3   − , SO 4   2− , BR 4   − , carboranes, substituted carboranes, metallocarboranes, substituted metallocarboranes, phosphates, phosphites, polyoxometallates, carboxylates, substituted carboxylates, triflates and noncoordinating anions;
 wherein R is at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, silyl, boryl, phosphino, amino, thio, seleno, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medium comprises one or more ionic liquids selected from the group consisting of [C 2 mim]Cl, [C 3 mim]Cl, [C 4 mim]Cl, [C 6 mim]Cl, [C s mim]Cl, [C 2 mim]I, [C 4 mim]I, [C 4 mim][PF 6 ], [C 2 mim][PF 6 ], [iC 3 mim][PF 6 ], [C 6 mim][PF 6 ], [C 6 mim][PF 6 ], [C 4 mim][BF 4 ], [C 2 mim][BF 4 ], [C 2 mim][C 2 H 3 O 2 ], and [C 2 mim][C 2 F 3 O 2 ]. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-solvent is a member selected from the group consisting of water and alcohols. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnetic nanoparticulate substances are at least one member selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, oxides thereof, alloys thereof and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . An information storage medium, comprising a matrix of one or more resin substrate materials, having distributed therethrough one or more magnetic nanoparticulate substances, wherein the one or more magnetic nanoparticulate substances is aligned within said matrix and susceptible to change in orientation in response to application of a recording force. 
     
     
         13 . The information storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the information storage medium is in a form of a sheet, a film, or a disk. 
     
     
         14 . A nanomaterial prepared by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The nanomaterial of  claim 14 , wherein the nanomaterial is in a form of a sheet or film.