Silicon And Boron Nanoparticles Synthesized By Non-thermal Plasma

Non-thermal plasma has been often used to synthesize nanomaterials since the size, size distribution, surface chemistry and chemical components of nanomaterials may be conveniently controlled in non-thermal plasma. In this work we have set up a non-thermal plasma system, which is employed to synthesize silicon (Si) nanoparticles (NPs) hyperdoped with boron (B) and phosphorous (P) and B NPs.The atmospheric oxidation and alkali etching of Si NPs hyperdoped with B and P have been investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) absorption spectroscopy. The P hyperdoping enhances the oxidation of Si NPs more significantly than the B hyperdoping. However, the B doping retards the alkali etching of Si NPs more significantly than the P doping. We find that both B and P have been incorporated into Si NPs although they also exist at the NP surface. The atmospheric oxidation of Si NPs may lead to the redistribution of dopants.The combustion efficiency of B particles may be greatly improved by reducing the size of B particles to the nanometer-sized regime. This motivates us to produce B NPs. About11nm B NPs have been synthesized by non-thermal plasma. The combustion of these B NPs in air is studied by use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that the ignition temperature and enthalpy of these B NPs are528℃and13.4KJ’g-1, respectively.