Seeking Fully degradable at 140°C or less surfactant for nanosized metal oxides solvent-based suspension

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Type of Solution sought

A Material
A Partner

Description of Desired Solution

Our client is looking for a dispersing agent, surfactant to disperse and stabilize a suspension of nanoparticles (less than 100 nanometers) of a metal oxide in an organic solvent, ideally isopropoxyethanol – IPE. The suspension is to be applied as 1 micron thick coating. The surfactant should leave the oxide surface for instance under thermal treatment below 140°C in a few minutes. Ideally the surfactant should be compatible with silane chemistry. Other type of treatments might be considered or ways of degradation/decomposition.

Background

Usual surfactant technology does not enable to create fully percolated network of nano-particle except if this surfactant is removed from final coating. Percolation is critical to obtain specific properties mechanical, optical, electrical. One way of removing the surfactant is to burn it, which means heating at a temperature high enough so as to decompose the molecule. The present surfactant is Trixoydecanoic acid (TODA) whose decomposition temperature is around 250°C. This temperature is too high for the substrate considered presently. The temperature should never go above 140°C more than 10 minutes. In the final formulation this suspension will be included in a matrix created from silane, so compatibility with the silane chemistry is required. The suspension is in a high value specialty application and typical yearly consumption would be of a few tons per year.

Detailed Solution Description

Our client is seeking a solution with the following properties:

Ability to disperse nanoparticles of less than 100 nanometer of metal oxide in organic solvent ideally IPE
Able to leave the oxide surface below 140°C
Silane chemistry compatibility
Elimination of surfactant should be obtained in limited time - typically a few minutes, maximum 10
In the case additives are used they should not deteriorate the metal oxide and should not adversely affect the silane curing
Solution has to be operable at ambient pressure
Use of vacuum-based processing should be avoided / reduced, specially high vacuum

Possible Routes To Investigate

Dispersing agent similar to the existing one - Trixoydecanoic acid (TODA) - with shorter chains or different structure
Decomposition of the dispersing agent under the action Infra-Red (IR), near IR, visible light or laser light. UV treatment would be acceptable if total energy delivered is small or very limited in time
Combination of dispersant and agent of photo or thermal degradation and the necessary process related to the decomposing agent process

Solution that are not of interest

High power UV treatments
Experimental or research products not yet available industrially

Anticipated Next Steps with Respondents

Feasibility demonstration by the end of June 2011. Full qualification and industrial availability – end of October 2011.

Other Comments / Important Considerations

The final product is for very high value niche applications, so high value solutions can be considered
Our client is open to not only buy the proposed product but also co-develop the solution with potential partners and share added value
Our client value sustainable chemistry, even though sustainability is not a priority for this project

Type of Outcome expected

Ready to use solutions: ready to use product & process combination. Test or validation of a proposed product can be covered in 48 hours

Company Demographics

Industry our client is in: Multinational Chemical producer active in specialty products (leader in his markets).
Annual Revenue: Multi-billion $
Years in Business: More than 100
Headquarters Area: EUROPE, but active in Americas and Asia

Business considered

Joint-venture
Buying
Our client is open to all kind of collaborations.