Multicomponent particle formation via gas-phase reactions of single-component precursors

We are examining new routes to vapor-phase generation of multi-component particles with controlled stoichiometry. Generally, gas phase reaction processes use two or more reactants which must be fed simultaneously into a reactor to form such materials. This method can result in the formation of chemically nonuniform particles having different compositions. We have demonstrated a new approach to producing particles by gas-to-particle conversion using volatile single-source compounds that contain all the elements needed to form the final compound. This technique was used to form both Ge-Mn and ZnS particles. By reacting 1,1-bis-(pentacarbonylmanganio)-3,4-dimethylgermacylclopent-3-ene in both nitrogen (at 600°C) and H2-N2 (at 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C), 30 nm Ge-Mn particles were formed. By reacting Zn(S2CNEt2)2(TMEDA) in nitrogen at 500, 600, and 700 °C, 30 to 50 nm ZnS particles were produced.