US2010330367A1PendingUtilityA1

Microbially-mediated method for synthesis of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles

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Assignee: UT BATTELLE LLCPriority: Feb 3, 2009Filed: Sep 2, 2010Published: Dec 30, 2010
Est. expiryFeb 3, 2029(~2.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Tommy J. PhelpsRobert J. LaufJi-Won MoonAdam J. RondinoneLonnie J. LoveChad E. DutyAndrew Stephen MaddenYiliang LiIlia N. IvanovClaudia Jeanette Rawn
H10F 77/1433H10F 77/128C01B 17/20C01P 2004/04Y10T428/2982C01P 2002/82C01P 2002/72C01P 2002/84C01G 9/08C01G 11/02C01G 15/006C01G 19/006C12P 3/00C01B 19/007C01P 2006/40
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Claims

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method for producing non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, the method comprising: (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a metal component comprising at least one type of metal ion, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and As, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and (b) isolating said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, which contain at least one of said metal ions and at least one of said non-metals. The invention is also directed to non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticle compositions produced as above and having distinctive properties.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for producing non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, the method comprising:
 (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a chalcophile metal component comprising at least one type of metal ion, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and As, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and   (b) isolating said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles comprised of at least one of said metal ions and at least one of said non-metals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal component comprises one or more metals selected from V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, W, Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, Cd, Hg, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, and Bi. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal component comprises one or more metals selected from Cd, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, Sn, and Zn. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-metal component is a reducible sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, tellurium-containing, or arsenic-containing component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said reducible sulfur-containing component comprises sulfate, sulfite, elemental sulfur, or thiosulfate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said reducible selenium-containing component comprises selenate, selenite, elemental selenium, or selenosulfate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said reducible tellurium-containing component comprises tellurate, tellurite, or elemental tellurium. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said reducible arsenic-containing compound is an arsenate or arsenite compound. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said non-metal component comprises a sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, or tellurium-containing amino acid or nucleic base. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electron donors include one or more carboxylate-containing compounds that can be oxidatively consumed by the microbes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electron donors include one or more sugar compounds that can be oxidatively consumed by the microbes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electron donors include one or more oxidizable gaseous compounds or elements that can be oxidatively consumed by the microbes. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles possess a size within a range of about 1 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles possess a size within a range of about 1 nm to about 200 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles possess a size within a range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles possess a size within a range of about 1 nm to about 20 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles possess a size within a range of about 1 nm to about 10 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anaerobic microbes are thermophilic, and said method is conducted at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anaerobic microbes are mesophilic or psychrotolerant, and said method is conducted at a temperature of less than 40° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anaerobic microbes are sulfate-reducing microbes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anaerobic microbes are metal-reducing microbes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is conducted under substantially anaerobic conditions. 
     
     
         23 . A nanoparticulate semiconductor composition comprising crystalline nanoparticles having an average size ranging from about 1 to about 500 nm, said crystalline nanoparticles comprising one or more metals and one or more non-metals selected from S, Se, Te, and As, wherein said crystalline nanoparticles exhibit a photoluminescence peak characterized by a full-width half maximum value of less than 20 nm. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23  further characterized by having at least one photoluminescent peak in the range of 300 to 500 nm. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 23  further characterized by having at least one photoluminescent peak above 500 nm. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 23 , wherein said one or more metals are selected from Cd, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, Sn, and Zn. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of one or more inorganic substances selected from sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, tellurium-containing, and arsenic-containing substances. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of one or more organic compounds selected from organsulfur, organoselenium, organotellurium, and organoarsine compounds. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles exhibit a photoluminescence peak characterized by a full-width half maximum value of less than 20 nm. 
     
     
         30 . A method for producing nanoparticles having a composition according to the formula:
   Cu(In x Ga 1-x )X 2    (1)
   wherein x is an integral or non-integral numerical value of or greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, and X represents at least one non-metal selected from S, Se, and Te;   the method comprising:
 (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of said nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a metal component comprising Cu ions and at least one type of metal ion selected from In and Ga, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from S, Se, and Te, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and 
 (b) isolating said nanoparticles. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of one or more inorganic substances selected from sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, and tellurium-containing inorganic substances. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of at least one organic compound selected from organsulfur, organoselenium, and organotellurium compounds. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one organic compound is selected from sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, and tellurium-containing amino acids and nucleic bases. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said nanoparticles exhibit at least one photoluminescent peak between 400 nm and 1500 nm. 
     
     
         35 . A method for producing nanoparticles having a kesterite-type composition according to the formula:
   M 3 SnX 4    (2)
   wherein M represents at least one chalcophile metal other than Sn, and X represents at least one non-metal selected from S, Se, and Te;   the method comprising:
 (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of said nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a chalcophile metal component comprising at least one chalcophile metal other than Sn, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from S, Se, and Te, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and 
 (b) isolating said nanoparticles. 
   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said chalcophile metal component comprises one or more metals selected from Cu, Fe, Zn, and Cd. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of one or more inorganic substances selected from sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, and tellurium-containing inorganic substances. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said non-metal component is comprised of at least one organic compound selected from organsulfur, organoselenium, and organotellurium compounds. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said at least one organic compound is selected from sulfur-containing, selenium-containing, and tellurium-containing amino acids and nucleic bases. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said nanoparticles exhibit at least one photoluminescent peak between 400 nm and 1500 nm. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed as a single step process.

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