Nanotechnology researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new type of nanoscale structure that could eventually find its way into new, 3-D technologies in the next generation of devices.
They’ve also made advances in nanotechnology that could mean more resilient “nanofibers.”
The structure resembles a nano “shish-kebab.” It consists of multiple two-dimensional nanosheets that appear to be impaled on a one-dimensional nanowire. This construction is actually a single three-dimensional structure that consists of a series of germanium sulfide crystals (GeS). That’s important because creating this structure results in a material with both a large surface area and the ability to transfer electric charges – the GeS is a semiconductor.
The combination of these features could make it applicable to 3-D devices, such as next-generation sensors, photodetectors or solar cells. The researchers also say this 3-D structure could also be useful for developing new energy storage technologies, such as next-generation supercapacitors.
What makes this process commercially promising is that it is inexpensive and could be scaled up for industrial processes, said Dr. Linyou Cao, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at N.C. State and co-author of a paper on the research. The paper, “Epitaxial Nanosheet–Nanowire Heterostructures,” was published online Feb. 18 in Nano Letters. The research was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office.
In other N.C. State nanotech research, scientists are developing techniques that could lead to stronger, more resilient nanofibers and materials.
The researchers have come up with a way to melt or “weld” specific portions of polymers. Using heat at the nanoscale gives scientists the ability to manipulate specific portions of the materials. The technique could be used to change the mechanical characteristics of objects without affecting their physical properties. That means more efficiency and less waste.
The findings were published in Particle & Particle Systems Characterization. The work was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and Sigma Xi.
