US 11827525 B1Patent grantUnited States

Scalable Metal-Oxide Nanomaterial Production

Official patent title

Method of fabricating metal oxide nanomaterials using a thermally decomposable solid substrate

Arabic title: طريقة تصنيع مواد نانوية من أكاسيد المعادن باستخدام ركيزة صلبة قابلة للتحلل الحراري

Invention

Problem

Conventional nanoparticle synthesis can be costly and can allow particles to agglomerate when capping materials dissolve poorly, distribute unevenly, or attract ions during precipitation.

Why it matters

Controlling particle separation is important because the size and dispersion of metal oxide nanomaterials affect their suitability for research and technology applications.

Approach

The method combines an aqueous metal-salt solution with a thermally decomposable solid substrate by mist deposition or maceration, then calcines the composite. Calcination forms metal oxide nanoparticles while substrate-derived molecules remain as spacers that limit agglomeration.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include nanomaterials researchers, chemical-process developers, and manufacturers evaluating controlled routes to metal oxide nanoparticles.

Potential value

The disclosed route integrates oxide formation and particle spacing in one thermal process and can be adapted to several metal salts and cellulose- or carbon-based substrates.

Background

Metal nanoparticles are investigated for uses ranging from thermochromic materials and energy conversion to communications and drug delivery. Many established synthesis routes rely on multiple physicochemical steps, can be expensive, or permit particle agglomeration. Sol-gel and hydrothermal processes commonly introduce a capping material to separate particles, yet poor solubility, uneven distribution, and electrostatic attraction can undermine that function. The publication therefore seeks a fabrication route in which the supporting material itself helps maintain separation during oxide formation.

Technology overview

An aqueous salt of copper, nickel, iron, cobalt, silver, or gold is applied to a thermally decomposable substrate such as filter paper, cellulose powder, cotton, charcoal, or tissue paper. The loaded substrate is calcined, generally within the disclosed 400–900 °C range. The substrate transforms into capping molecules while the metal salt forms oxide nanoparticles positioned between those molecules, providing an in-process spacing mechanism.

Potential applications

Producing metal oxide nanomaterials for further evaluation in thermochromic and energy-conversion systems.
Preparing nanoparticle materials for communications, optical, or electronic research where controlled dispersion is useful.
Supplying research-grade metal oxide nanoparticles for formulation and delivery studies after application-specific validation.
Exploring cellulose or waste-tissue substrates as process media in nanomaterial manufacturing.

Evidence-supported advantages

Substrate-derived capping molecules are formed during calcination to help keep the oxide nanoparticles separated.
The metal-salt solution can be introduced by either mist deposition or maceration.
The disclosure accommodates several metals and several thermally decomposable solid substrates.
Oxide formation and the particle-spacing function occur within the same calcination sequence.

Development stage

Patent publication; development stage not independently verified.

Commercial opportunity

The method could support licensing or collaborative development with nanomaterial producers seeking adaptable metal oxide fabrication routes. Practical opportunity would depend on confirming particle size distribution, purity, throughput, energy use, and repeatability at the intended production scale. Market positioning would also require comparison with established routes.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

C01G1/02Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
B09B3/40Disposal of solid waste not otherwise provided for

CPC

B82Y40/00Specific uses or applications of nanostructures; measurement or analysis of nanostructures; manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
B09B3/40Disposal of solid waste not otherwise provided for
B82Y30/00Specific uses or applications of nanostructures; measurement or analysis of nanostructures; manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
C01G1/02Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
C01P2004/64Indexing scheme for structural and physical aspects of solid inorganic compounds

Inventors

First inventorBabiker Yagoub Elhadi Abdulkhair
InventorMohamed Rahamtalla Elamin

Keywords

metal oxide
nanoparticles
calcination
solid substrate
capping
mist deposition
agglomeration control
nanomaterials

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.