A Mechanochemical Approach to Porous Silicon Nanoparticles Fabrication

Author: Russo Luigi   Colangelo Francesco   Cioffi Raffaele   Rea Ilaria   Stefano Luca De  

Publisher: MDPI

E-ISSN: 1996-1944|4|6|1023-1033

ISSN: 1996-1944

Source: Materials, Vol.4, Iss.6, 2011-06, pp. : 1023-1033

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Abstract

Porous silicon samples have been reduced in nanometric particles by a well known industrial mechanical process, the ball grinding in a planetary mill; the process has been extended to crystalline silicon for comparison purposes. The silicon nanoparticles have been studied by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, gas porosimetry and transmission electron microscopy. We have estimated crystallites size from about 50 nm for silicon to 12 nm for porous silicon. The specific surface area of the powders analyzed ranges between 100 m2/g to 29 m2/g depending on the milling time, ranging from 1 to 20 h. Electron microscopy confirms the nanometric size of the particles and reveals a porous structure in the powders obtained by porous silicon samples which has been preserved by the fabrication conditions. Chemical functionalization during the milling process by a siloxane compound has also been demonstrated.