RPI Researchers Develop Nanoblades

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have developed nanoblades, a new material composition grown through a technique called oblique angle deposition where magnesium is evaporated using a filament.

“These magnesium atoms would condense on the substrate and form these nanostructures,” says Fu Tang, post-doctoral student at RPI.

According to Tang, the nanoblade production process is relatively simpler than the production of nanotubes. In order to create nanotubes, “people use chemical vapor deposition, basically including a lot of chemical process, some reactions, reductions and observations of chemical process,” he says. The creation of nanoblades is a physical process. “I think it’s simpler because you don’t need many controller parameters there; it’s just a vacuum chamber,” says Tang.

Because of their high surface area, nanoblades are thought to exhibit great potential for use in hydrogen storage. According to Tang, the next step is to coat the structures with a metallic catalyst. “Then we can get good hydrogen storage properties from this nanoblade structure,” he says. He predicts that by early next year they will try coating the nanoblade structures with an appropriate catalyst.

Tang speculated that future uses of nanoblades may include photocathodes and laser technology. “We didn’t really have enough man power to go that direction,” says Tang.