Synthesis of Gadolinium and Neodymium Nanoparticles through the Reverse Micelle Method

ORAL

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a growing field that can be applied to several technologies such as electronics and medicine. Due to micro-scale materials reaching their limit, nano-scale development of materials is becoming the new focus. In reaction to this trend, our lab has aimed to synthesize Gd and Nd nanoparticles through the reverse micelle method. This method uses a molecule with a polar head and nonpolar tail, known as a surfactant, to form and contain nanoparticles. In this study, we used the surfactant Aerosol OT (AOT) with polar methanol and nonpolar hexane. The geometry of AOT's two nonpolar tails favors the formation of reverse micelles in a hexane solution containing small ``pools'' of methanol. The ``pools'' contain the rare earth compounds that are reduced by using sodium borohydride as a reduction agent. Samples have been examined using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and a Leica microscope. The reduction of gadolinium chloride has been confirmed, but is not seen in spherical particles. The same procedure was used for neodymium chloride and neodymium nitrate, but further testing is required. Future work will be done to improve the purity of our sample, generate spherical reverse micelles, and develop smaller particles.

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Authors

  • Ryan Fukuda

    Physics/California State University Fresno

  • Nilgun Sungar

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, California State University, Fresno, Physics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, Seogang University, Pohang University of Science \& Technology, UC Santa Cruz, Trinity College, Hartford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CSU Long Beach, Physics/Hokkaido University, Japan, Physics/University of California, San Deigo, Physics/California State University, Fresno, CSU Stanislaus, University of California, Santa Barbara, Instituted of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, SpaceX, Northrop-Grumman, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, Davis 95616, United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Chemistry/California State University Fresno, Physics/California State University Fresno, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Merced, UC Merced, Stanford University, New Economic School, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Chair of the Physics Department

  • Nilgun Sungar

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, California State University, Fresno, Physics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, Seogang University, Pohang University of Science \& Technology, UC Santa Cruz, Trinity College, Hartford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CSU Long Beach, Physics/Hokkaido University, Japan, Physics/University of California, San Deigo, Physics/California State University, Fresno, CSU Stanislaus, University of California, Santa Barbara, Instituted of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, SpaceX, Northrop-Grumman, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, Davis 95616, United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Chemistry/California State University Fresno, Physics/California State University Fresno, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Merced, UC Merced, Stanford University, New Economic School, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Chair of the Physics Department

  • Nilgun Sungar

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, California State University, Fresno, Physics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, Seogang University, Pohang University of Science \& Technology, UC Santa Cruz, Trinity College, Hartford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CSU Long Beach, Physics/Hokkaido University, Japan, Physics/University of California, San Deigo, Physics/California State University, Fresno, CSU Stanislaus, University of California, Santa Barbara, Instituted of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, SpaceX, Northrop-Grumman, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, Davis 95616, United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Chemistry/California State University Fresno, Physics/California State University Fresno, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Merced, UC Merced, Stanford University, New Economic School, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Chair of the Physics Department

  • Nilgun Sungar

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, California State University, Fresno, Physics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, Seogang University, Pohang University of Science \& Technology, UC Santa Cruz, Trinity College, Hartford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CSU Long Beach, Physics/Hokkaido University, Japan, Physics/University of California, San Deigo, Physics/California State University, Fresno, CSU Stanislaus, University of California, Santa Barbara, Instituted of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, SpaceX, Northrop-Grumman, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, Davis 95616, United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Chemistry/California State University Fresno, Physics/California State University Fresno, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Merced, UC Merced, Stanford University, New Economic School, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Chair of the Physics Department

  • Nilgun Sungar

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, California State University, Fresno, Physics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, Seogang University, Pohang University of Science \& Technology, UC Santa Cruz, Trinity College, Hartford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CSU Long Beach, Physics/Hokkaido University, Japan, Physics/University of California, San Deigo, Physics/California State University, Fresno, CSU Stanislaus, University of California, Santa Barbara, Instituted of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, SpaceX, Northrop-Grumman, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, Davis 95616, United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Chemistry/California State University Fresno, Physics/California State University Fresno, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Merced, UC Merced, Stanford University, New Economic School, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Chair of the Physics Department