Liquid silane-based compositions and methods for producing silicon-based materials

Abstract

Described herein are synthesis schemes and methods for producing silicon based nanostructures and materials, including compositions and methods for synthesis of silicon-based nanowires and composites from three-component and four-component liquid silane/polymer inks. Materials and methods for producing silicon based micro and nanofibers that can be used in a variety of applications including material composites, electronic devices, sensors, photodetectors, batteries, ultracapacitors, and photosensitive substrates, and the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrospinning ink, comprising:
 a liquid silane of the formula Si n H 2n ;   a polymer; and   a solvent.   
     
     
         2 . An electrospinning ink, comprising:
 a liquid silane of the formula Si n H 2n ;   a polymer;   a solid phase; and   a solvent.   
     
     
         3 . An electrospinning ink as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said solid phase is a metallic particle selected from the group of metal particles consisting essentially of spherical metallic particles of Al, Au, Ag, Cu, In—Sn—O, fluorine-doped tin oxide and carbon black. 
     
     
         4 . An electrospinning ink as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said solid phase is a semiconducting particle selected from the group of semiconducting particles consisting essentially of carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, polydihydrosilane (Si n H 2 ) n , CdSe, CdTe, PbS, PbSe, ZnO and Si. 
     
     
         5 . An electrospinning ink as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said solid phase is a metal reagent selected from the group of metal reagents consisting essentially of CaH 2 , CaBr 2 , Cp 2 Ti(CO) 2 , TiCl 4 , V(CO) 6 , Cr(CO) 6 , Cp 2 Cr, Mn 2 (CO) 10 , CpMn(CO) 3 , Fe(CO) 5 , Fe 2 (CO) 9 , Co 2 (CO) 5 , CO 4 (CO) 12 , Cp 2 Co, Cp 2 Ni, Ni(COD) 2 , BaH 2 , [Ru(CO) 4 ] ∞ , Os 3 (CO) 12 , Ru 3 (CO) 12 , HFeCo 3 (CO) 12 , and H 2 FeRu 3 (CO) 13 . 
     
     
         6 . An electrospinning ink as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said solid phase is a photoactive particle selected from the group of photoactive particles consisting essentially of a carbon fullerene, a quantum dot of CdSe, PbS, Si or Ge, and a core-shell quantum dot of ZnSe/CdSe or Si/Ge. 
     
     
         7 . An electrospinning ink as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said liquid silane is a linear or branched cyclosilane of the formula Si n H 2n+2 .