Plasma sources and processes for nanomaterial synthesis and reactive species production

用于纳米材料合成和活性物质生产的等离子体源和工艺

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04063
• 负责人: Coulombe, Sylvain
• 金额: $ 2.7万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=686995
• 关键词: Plasma; sources; processes; nanomaterial; synthesis

Other thinkers have written before that “waste is material at the wrong place” and that “waste is a resource”. According to recent global statistics, more than 50% of the energy we extract from primary sources is wasted in the various transformation and storage steps, leaving less than 50% in use. The situation is even worst for materials, with more that 70% of the primary materials being wasted after a first use. We now fully realize that the planet's primary resources are finite and that the anthropogenic waste that accumulates in the soil, oceans and atmosphere has negative, widepsread and lasting impacts. These observations make us realize that we do not use primary resources efficiently and do not value waste. From the elemental standpoint, “waste” is made up of the same chemical elements as the materials we value (i.e. materials we use daily and want in our backyard) but that happens to be in the wrong molecular arrangement or place. The transition to a sustainable use of resources requires a system's thinking that features the use of renewable energy and materials, as well as efficient and closed-loop processing at all scales.***The plasma state gives access to energy levels, temperatures, and reaction rates not encountered in any other forms of matter. When powered with renewable electricity, the plasma acts as a versatile and efficient vector for electrical-to-chemical energy and waste material-to-useful material conversion. Supported by these capabilities and personally driven to contribute knowledge and tools to achieve a truly sustainable economy in the future, the long term goal of my research program is to develop plasma-based technologies in energy and environmental engineering. Specifically, I am interested in the synthesis of advanced nanomaterials and nanostructures for catalysis, energy harvesting, transport and storage, and plasma processing for resource recovery and upcycling. In the next five years, my research group will: 1) develop and study a novel high-pressure pulsed nanosecond plasma source for CH4 conversion and NH3 synthesis; 2) extend our nanocatalyst synthesis capabilities and understanding to bimetallic nanoparticles (alloys and core-shell structures); and 3) develop and study a large-volume atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma source for in-flight functionalization of nanoparticles. I will make a judicious use of the research freedom permitted by the Discovery grant to explore new ideas and contribute to knowledge, while training several new research engineers. I also expect to contribute patent applications and technology transfers to industry. Six to eight PhD candidates, a similar number of MEng candidates, and several interns from Canada and abroad will be trained in a state-of-the-art plasma processing laboratory, with a common vision to contribute technologies and knowledge for a sustainable future.

其他思想家之前曾写道，“废物在错误的地方是物质”，“废物是一种资源”，根据最近的全球统计数据，我们从初级来源中提取的能源中有 50% 以上被浪费在各种转换和储存中。对于材料来说，情况更糟，超过 70% 的初级材料在第一次使用后就被浪费了。那这些观察结果使我们认识到，我们没有有效利用初级资源，也没有重视废物，从基本角度来看，“废物”是由同样的化学物质组成的。元素作为我们重视的材料（即我们每天​​使用并想要在后院使用的材料），但这恰好处于错误的分子排列或位置。向资源的可持续利用的转变需要一个以使用可再生能源为特征的系统思维。和材料，以及高效以及所有尺度的闭环处理。***等离子体状态可以提供任何其他形式的物质所没有的能量水平、温度和反应速率。当使用可再生电力供电时，等离子体可以作为一种多功能且高效的矢量。在这些能力的支持下，并个人推动贡献知识和工具以实现未来真正可持续的经济，我的研究计划的长期目标是开发。具体来说，我对能源和环境工程中的等离子体技术感兴趣。用于催化、能量收集、传输和存储的先进纳米材料和纳米结构的合成，以及用于资源回收和升级循环的等离子体处理在未来五年中，我的研究小组将：1）开发和研究一种新型高压脉冲纳秒等离子体。 CH4 转化和 NH3 合成的来源；2) 扩展我们的纳米催化剂合成能力和对双金属纳米粒子（合金和核壳结构）的理解；3) 开发和研究大量的纳米催化剂；我将明智地利用发现基金允许的研究自由来探索新想法并贡献知识，同时培训几位新的研究工程师。六到八名博士候选人、类似数量的硕士候选人以及来自加拿大和国外的几名实习生将在最先进的等离子体处理实验室接受培训，他们的共同愿景是贡献技术和知识可持续的未来。