The keys to efficiently extracting energy from the combustion of aluminum are to generate aluminum particles small enough for complete combustion as well as preventing surface oxidation prior to combustion. The development of a dual ligand capping process for aluminum nanoparticles has resulted in 3-5 nm aluminum particles that are air-stable, non-polar suspendible, and unoxidized. A novel milling technique has opened the doors for the production of aluminum nanoparticles on the gram scale. The particles are generated in a natively unoxidized state and can be protected from oxidation by reacting the nascent surfaces with a weakly binding capping agent, and then subsequently reacting them with a strongly binding passivating capping agent. This paper will discuss the sequential dual ligand capping technique as well as homogeneous media ball milling, and focus on the generation of unoxidized aluminum nanoparticles, with the result of these processes being functionalized air-stable aluminum nanoparticles.

Dual ligand passivation and homogeneous media ball milling: Novel approaches for both the synthesis and capping of air-stable aluminum nanoparticles

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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