Microplasma Engineering of Functional Nanomaterials: Synthesis and Applications

Microplasmas are a special class of electrical discharges formed in geometries where at least one dimension is less than 1 mm. As a result of their unique scaling, microplasmas operate stably at atmospheric pressure and contain large concentrations of energetic electrons (1-10 eV). These properties are attractive for a range of nanomaterials synthesis and nanostructure engineering such as metal nanostructures and semiconductor nanomaterials. Recently, we found that the energetic species including radicals, ions and electrons generated in the microplasmas were capable of initiating electrochemical-assisted reactions for the nucleation and growth of graphene quantum dots (GQDs), silicon quantum dots (SiQDs), and metal nanoclusters (MNCs). Moreover we develop a simple synthesis of core/shell metal heterostructures using an atmospheric-pressure microplasma-assisted electrochemical method. In this presentation, I will discuss these topics in detail, highlighting the advantages of microplasma-based systems for the synthesis of well-defined nanomaterials and possible applications. These experiments will aid in the rational design and fabrication of nanomaterials and may also have significant impact in emerging applications.