Liquid silane-based compositions and methods of fabrication

Abstract

Described herein are synthesis schemes and methods for producing silicon based nanostructures and materials, including compositions and methods for synthesis of silicon-based nanowires and composites from four-component inks of a liquid silane, a polymer, an accelerant and a solvent, or from five-component inks of a liquid silane, a polymer, an accelerant, a solid phase and a solvent. The methods can be used for producing silicon based microfibers and nanofibers that can be used in a variety of applications including material composites, electronic devices, sensors, photodetectors, batteries, ultracapacitors, and photosensitive substrates.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An electrospinning ink composition, comprising a liquid silane of the formula Si n H 2n , an accelerant, a polymer, and a solvent. 
     
     
         12 . An electrospinning ink composition, comprising: a liquid silane of the formula Si n H 2n , an accelerant, a polymer, a solid phase, and a solvent. 
     
     
         13 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the liquid silane comprises a liquid silane is a cyclosilane selected from the group of cyclosilanes consisting essentially of cyclopentasilane, cyclohexasilane and 1-silylcyclopentasilane. 
     
     
         14 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12  embodiments, wherein the liquid silane comprises a liquid silane of the formula Si n H 2n+2 . 
     
     
         15 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the accelerant comprises cyclopentasilane. 
     
     
         16 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the accelerant comprises a Si substituted cyclopentasilane of the formula H 3 Si—Si 5 H 9  (n-silylcyclopentasilane). 
     
     
         17 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the accelerant comprises a polyhydropolysilane of formula Si n H n+2  where n ranges from 2-10,000. 
     
     
         18 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the accelerant is selected from the group of accelerants consisting of: a linear silane of formula Si 3 H 8 , a cyclohexasilane derivative with one or more linear or branched silyl groups attached to the ring, a halogenated silane, a polyhydrocyclopolysilane ring attached to another polyhydrocyclopolysilane and neopentasilane of formula (H 3 Si) 4 Si. 
     
     
         19 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the solid phase is a metallic particle selected from the group of metal particles consisting essentially of metallic particles of Al, Au, Ag, Cu, In—Sn—O, fluorine-doped tin oxide and carbon black. 
     
     
         20 . The ink composition as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the solid phase is a semiconducting particle selected from the group of semiconducting particles consisting essentially of carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, polydihydrosilane (Si n H 2 ) n , CdSe, CdTe, PbS, PbSe, ZnO and Si. 
     
     
         21 . The ink composition as recited in embodiment  12 , wherein the solid phase is a metal reagent selected from the group of metal reagents consisting essentially of CaH 2 , CaBr 2 , Cp 2 Ti(CO) 2 , TiCl 4 , V(CO) 6 , Cr(CO) 6 , Cp 2 Cr, Mn 2 (CO) 10 , CpMn(CO) 3 , Fe(CO) 5 , Fe 2 (CO) 9 , Co 2 (CO) 8 , CO 4 (CO) 12 , Cp 2 Co, Cp 2 Ni, Ni(COD) 2 , BaH 2 , [Ru(CO) 4 ] ∞ , Os 3 (CO) 12 , Ru 3 (CO) 12 , HFeCo 3 (CO) 12 , and H 2 FeRu 3 (CO) 13 . 
     
     
         22 . An ink composition as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the solid phase is a photoactive particle selected from the group of photoactive particles consisting essentially of a carbon fullerene, a quantum dot of CdSe, PbS, Si or Ge, and a core-shell quantum dot of ZnSe/CdSe or Si/Ge.