Silicon (Si) has a high refractive index and low light absorption across the near infrared and most of the visible spectrum, making it a highly desireable material for optical applications. However, it has a very big drawback: silicon is extremely difficult to synthesize using typical solution chemistry techniques. This is due to its propensity to oxidize to silica (SiO2) and the difficulty reducing the Si(IV) precursors to Si(0). Thus, the ability to formulate nanomaterials with adaptable size, shape and surface chemistry is currently a major challenge for silicon chemists. This ERC project focuses on adapting current silicon synthesis techniques and developing new techniques in order to achieve control over silicon particles and silicon-based materials.
The Scatter team: working with silicon is like climbing a mountain with fog obscuring the trail – that is to say, a constant adventure.
Selected productions originating from this funding:
M. Parker, M. L. De Marco, D. Portehault, M. Gonidec, P. Rosa, G. L. Drisko, patent declaration EP23306951, “Process for Preparing Crystalline Silicon Nanoparticles”
C. Cibaka-Ndaya, K. O’Connor, E. Opeyemi Idowu, M. A. Parker, E. Lebraud, S. Lacomme, D. Montero, P. Sanz Camacho, J. G.-C. Veinot, I.-L. Roiban, G. L. Drisko, Chem. Mater. 2023, 35, 8551.
L. Roach, D. Gonzalez-Rodriguez, J. Gao, E. Laurichesse, A. Grijalba-Castro, R. Oda, V. Schmitt, E. Pouget, M. Tréguer-Delapierre, G. L. Drisko, Langmuir 2023, 39, 4216.
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