Nanomaterials are intensely researched for their powerful properties applicable in the broad fields of medicine, electronics, optics and catalysis. Because metal NPs are kinetically stabilized materials, their synthesis often relies on the use of excess solvents, additives and strong reducing agents, which limits their easy scale-up. To address this shortcoming, we developed a novel synthetic method for the scalable production of metal and metal sulfide NPs under solvent-free, mechanochemical conditions. The synthesis of Au NPs provided access to monodisperse and ultra-small NPs in the size range of 1–4 nm, without external reducing agents or bulk solvents. Using lignin as a biomass-based reducer, we could access embedded NPs of Au, Ru, Pd and Re. With Ag, this method gave access to antibacterial filters in a simplified fashion. Bi2S3 nanoparticles were easily synthesized by mechanochemical activation from molecular precursors and cysteine as a sulfur source, followed by aging to afford X-ray active materials, applicable to cancer detection. More recently we have been explored the functionalization of biopolymers. P2O5 was used as a phosphorylating agent for the functionalization of cellulose and man-made polymers by mechanochemistry. In another scheme, chitin deacetylation is reported under aging conditions to access high molecular weight chitosan.

Mechanochemical and aging-based synthesis of metal nanoparticles and functionalization of biopolymers

256th National Meeting (2018)

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