Metal hydride nanoparticles

Abstract

A nanoparticle of a decomposition product of a transition metal aluminum hydride compound, a transition metal borohydride compound, or a transition metal gallium hydride compound. A process of: reacting a transition metal salt with an aluminum hydride compound, a borohydride compound, or a gallium hydride compound to produce one or more of the nanoparticles. The reaction occurs in solution while being sonicated at a temperature at which the metal hydride compound decomposes. A process of: reacting a nanoparticle with a compound containing at least two hydroxyl groups to form a coating having multi-dentate metal-alkoxides.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process comprising:
 reacting a transition metal salt with an aluminum hydride compound, a borohydride compound, or a gallium hydride compound to produce one or more nanoparticles comprising a decomposition product of a metal hydride compound;
 wherein the metal hydride compound is a transition metal aluminum hydride compound, a transition metal borohydride compound, or a transition metal gallium hydride compound; and 
 wherein the reaction occurs in solution while being sonicated at a temperature at which the metal hydride compound decomposes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal is zirconium, hafnium, titanium, vanadium, scandium, yttrium, niobium, chromium, tantalum, thorium, or uranium. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal salt is ZrCl 4 , Zr(BH 4 ) 4 , or Hf(BH 4 ) 4  and the aluminum hydride compound is LiAlH 4 . 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 annealing the nanoparticle.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reacting the nanoparticle with a compound containing at least two hydroxyl groups to form a coating comprising multi-dentate metal-alkoxides.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the coating is a xerogel. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the compound is glycerol, sorbitol, or a carbohydrate. 
     
     
         8 . A process comprising:
 reacting a nanoparticle with a compound containing at least two hydroxyl groups to form a coating comprising multi-dentate metal-alkoxides;
 wherein the nanoparticle comprises a metal that reacts with hydroxyl groups to form the metal-alkoxides. 
   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the metal is aluminum, boron, silicon, zirconium, or hafnium. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the coating is a xerogel. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the compound is glycerol, sorbitol, or a carbohydrate.