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Nanoparticles attach to polymers like toy blocks via simple mechanical collisions

Dr. Seunggun Yu and his team at KERI's Insulation Materials Research Center have developed "Hybrid Supraparticle Synthesis Technology" that can attach inorganic nanoparticles to the surface of polymer microparticles through simple mechanical collisions. The work is in the journal Advanced Materials.

The "Hybrid Supraparticle Synthesis Technology" that combines functional inorganic nanoparticles with polymer microparticles is being widely applied across various industries, including battery electrode materials, catalyst systems, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, semiconductor packaging, and insulating materials for electrical equipment.

In this process, materials are primarily combined through wet chemical processes, which pose several issues, including complex multi-step procedures and additional costs, environmental problems due to the use of solvents, and limitations in surface functionalization technologies required to induce chemical bonding between different materials.

Inspired by the craters formed on the moon due to asteroid collisions, Dr. Seunggun Yu introduced a method of physically and mechanically colliding particles.

In this process, inorganic nanoparticles are individually attached to the surface of polymer microparticles, forming a core-shell structure where the nanoparticles envelop the polymer microparticles like a shell.

Although this may seem like a simple principle, its actual implementation was very challenging. In order for the nanoparticles to be stably attached to the surface of polymer microparticles, various factors must be considered simultaneously, including the size ratio between the particles, collision speed and rotational energy, surface energy, and roughness.

By precisely controlling these conditions, Dr. Yu's team successfully combined dozens of different inorganic nanoparticles with microparticles of varying sizes and properties, establishing the optimal synthesis conditions. They also succeeded in uncovering the physical attachment mechanism, marking the world's first discovery of this process.

In addition, the research team developed a technology to quantitatively analyze the degree of nanoparticle attachment, surface coverage, and the stability of the interface bonding, while also evaluating the thermal, mechanical, and chemical durability.

Through this, they were able to obtain multifunctional, high-reliability composite particles with excellent resistance to various environmental conditions, while simultaneously possessing magnetic, photocatalytic, and adsorption properties.

Dr. Seunggun Yu stated, "Since we can easily combine the materials we need like toy blocks in an eco-friendly dry process that uses no solvents, it is advantageous for mass production and commercialization."

"This technology has a very wide range of attachable materials, and the reproducibility in a simple process is high, which means the entry barrier for the industry is very low."

KERI aims to accelerate the optimization of synthesis processes through continuous research. In addition, it plans to actively pursue commercialization by identifying potential industry partners interested in the technology and promoting technology transfer.