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The industrially used flame synthesis of silica polymer fillers was extended to amorphous tricalcium phosphate (a-TCP) nanoparticles and resulted in a similar morphology as the traditionally used polymer fillers. Doping of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) with such highly agglomerated a-TCP was investigated for mechanical properties, increased in vitro biodegradation and the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of the nanocomposite. PLGA films with particle loadings ranging from 0 to 30 wt% were prepared by solvent casting. Degradation in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C under sterile conditions for up to 42 days was followed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis and tensile tests. The presence of nanoparticles in the PLGA matrix slightly increased the Young's modulus up to 30% compared to pure polymer reference materials. The nanoparticle doped films showed a significantly increased loss of polymer mass during degradation. Scanning electron microscopy images of doped films showed that the SBF degraded the PLGA by corrosion as facilitated by the incorporation of nanoparticulate calcium phosphate. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the deposition of about 10 nm sized hydroxyapatite crystallites on the surface of doped PLGA films was strongly increased by the addition of tricalcium phosphate fillers. The combination of increased hydroxyapatite formation and enhanced polymer degradation may suggest the use of such amorphous, aerosol derived a-TCP fillers for applications in non-load-bearing implant sites.

Copper nanoparticles with a mean carbon coating of about 1 nm were continuously produced at up to 10 g h(-1) using a modified flame spray synthesis unit under highly reducing conditions. Raman spectroscopy and solid state (13)C magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that the thin carbon layer consisted of a sp(2)-hybridized carbon modification in the form of graphene stacks. The carbon layer protected the copper nanoparticles from oxidation in air. Bulk pills of pressed carbon/copper nanoparticles displayed a highly pressure- and temperature-dependent electrical conductivity with sensitivity at least comparable to commercial materials. These properties suggest the use of thin carbon/copper nanocomposites as novel, low-cost sensor materials and offer a metal-based alternative to the currently used brittle oxidic spinels or perovskites.

Metallic copper nanoparticles were synthesized by a bottom-up approach, and in situ coated with protective shells of graphene in order to get a metal nanopowder of high air stability and chemical inertness. Using an amphiphilic surfactant, a water-based copper nanocolloid could be prepared and successfully printed onto a polymer substrate by conventional ink-jet printing using household printers. The dried printed patterns exhibited strong metallic gloss and an electrical conductivity of >1 S cm−1 without the need for a sintering or densification step. This conductivity currently limits use in electronics to low current application or shielding and decorative effects. The high stability of graphene-coated copper nanoparticles makes them economically a most attractive alternative to silver or gold nanocolloids, and will strongly facilitate the industrial use of metal nanocolloids in consumer goods.

Two-particle colloids containing nanomagnets and microscale mirrors can be prepared from iron oxide nanoparticles, microscale metal flakes and high-density liquids stabilizing the mirror suspension against sedimentation by matching the constituent's density. The free Brownian rotation of the micromirrors can be magnetically controlled through an anisotropic change in impulse transport arising from impacts of the magnetic nanoparticles onto the anisotropic flakes. The resulting rapid mirror orientation allows large changes in light transmission and switchable optical reflectivity. The preparation of a passive display was conceptually demonstrated through colloid confinement in a planar cavity over an array of individually addressable solenoids and resulted in 4 × 4 digit displays with a reaction time of less than 100 ms.

Highly magnetic metal Co nanoparticles were produced via reducing flame spray pyrolysis, and directly coated with an epoxy polymer in flight. The polymer content in the samples varied between 14 and 56 wt% of nominal content. A homogenous dispersion of Co nanoparticles in the resulting nanocomposites was visualized by electron microscopy. The size and crystallinity of the metallic fillers was not affected by the polymer, as shown by XRD and magnetic hysteresis measurements. The good control of the polymer content in the product nanocomposite was shown by elemental analysis. Further, the successful polymerization in the gas phase was demonstrated by electron microscopy and size measurements. The presented effective, dry and scalable one-step synthesis method for highly magnetic metal nanoparticle/polymer composites presented here may drastically decrease production costs and increase industrial yields.

Silica nanowire arrays were grown directly onto plain glass substrates by scalable flame spray pyrolysis of organometallic solutions (hexamethyldisiloxane or tetraethyl orthosilicate). The silicon dioxide films consisted of a network of interwoven nanowires from a few to several hundred nanometres long (depending on the process conditions) and about 20 nm in diameter, as determined by scanning electron microscopy. These films were formed rapidly (within 10-20 s) at high growth rates (ca 11-30 nm s(-1)) by chemical vapour deposition (surface growth) at ambient conditions on the glass substrate as determined by thermophoretic sampling of the flame aerosol and microscopy. In contrast, on high purity quartz nearly no nanowires were grown while on steel substrates porous SiO(2) films were formed. Functionalization with perfluorooctyl triethoxysilane converted the nanowire surface from super-hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Additionally, their hermetic coating by thin carbon layers was demonstrated also revealing their potential as substrates for synthesis of other functional 1D composite structures. This approach is a significant step towards large scale synthesis of SiO(2) nanowires facilitating their utilization in several applications.

Metal sulfide nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest because of their unique semiconducting and electronic properties. In order to prepare these fascinating materials at an industrial scale, however, solvent-free, dry processes would be most advantageous. In the present work, we demonstrate how traditional oxide nanoparticle synthesis in flames can be extended to sulfides if we apply a careful control on flame gas composition and sulfur content. The ultra-fast (1 ms) gas phase kinetics at elevated temperatures allow direct sulfidization of metals in flames ([Formula: see text]). As a representative example, we prepared air-stable Mn(2 + ) doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles. Post-sintering of the initially polycrystalline nanopowder resulted in a material of high crystallinity and improved photoluminescence. An analysis of the thermodynamics, gas composition, and kinetics in these reducing flames indicates that the here-presented extension of flame synthesis provides access to a broad range of metal sulfide nanoparticles and offers an alternative to non-oxide phosphor preparation.

Building construction takes time, in part because the binding process of cement is based on the slow re-crystallization and precipitation of calcium silicate species. Since the material's reactivity is surface area limited, a reduction in particle size of Portland cements has been used to prepare faster binding formulations. The present work investigates a new and direct, one-step preparation of calcium silicate-based nanoparticles of a typical Portland cement composition by flame spray synthesis. Isothermal calorimetry revealed that the hardening of this new nano-cement corroborated a more than tenfold increase of initial reactivity with different reaction kinetics if compared to conventionally prepared cements. At present, the unfavourably high porosity of nano-cements, however, underlines the need for additional improvements of chemical composition and formulation to make these highly reactive materials applicable to modern construction work, where load-bearing strength is of importance.

The application of an external magnetic field on a metallic cobalt nanoparticle loaded exhaust gas stream produced by reducing flame synthesis resulted in the formation of self-aligned metallic cobalt nanowires of 20?50?nm diameter. This template free, continuous and rapid production method afforded nanowires with an aspect ratio of over 1000 (length/diameter) at a production rate of over 30?g?h?1. At high magnetic fields the nanowires formed bundles with distinctive parallel orientation. In the absence of a directing magnetic field, thermophoresis promoted an irregular growth and resulted in highly branched and porous nanomeshes on cooled, stainless steel collectors. The high production rates of this template free preparation method suggest application of the process for large scale manufacturing of magnetic nanomeshes for filtration or nanowires for magnetic storage and anisotropic functional materials.

Bulk nanocrystalline cobalt was prepared from reducing flame-spray-derived cobalt nanopowders exclusively in the face-centred cubic (fcc) modification. Compacts of approximately 60% density were obtained from uniaxial compression at room temperature and showed a strong resistance towards grain growth upon subsequent sintering to 90% relative density. The nanocrystalline structure remained stable well above 1000 degrees C and resulted in a pore-rich metal with about 10(15) nanovoids cm(-3). These sintered compacts displayed an up to three times higher bulk hardness if compared to conventional cobalt and local ductility as evidenced from scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation. The strong grain-growth resistance and consequent increase in material hardness are discussed in respect of the presence of nanovoids, twin boundaries and material contamination.