Nanosynthesis and Nanopatterning based on "Drop-on-a-hot-Plate"

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Mady Elbahri
• Subject Area: Metallurgical, Thermal and Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 92567538

Here, the exploration of a technique is proposed that allows the formation of nanostructures on a substrate accompanied by a chemical reaction using a drop on a hot plate which was recently discovered by the applicant, who was honored with the “Nanowissenschaftspreis 2007 (Junior)“. This approach is patented and a part of the preliminary results is published as inside front cover article in Advanced Materials (Wiley-VCH). Sprinkling a drop of water into a hot skillet is an everyday event that can be observed by anyone in his own kitchen. This effect was first investigated by the German physicist, Johann Gottlieb Leidenfrost in 1756. When water touches the hot plate at a temperature above its boiling point, the water in contact with the hot surface vaporizes immediately. The drop is no more in contact with the hot plate but levitates above its own vapour. The temperature, at which the drop dances and the levitation phenomena generally occur, is named after Leidenfrost. This effect is used and introduced here for the first time as new tool for nanotechnology, in which the overheated vapor-liquid interface underneath the droplet at the Leidenfrost temperature can be utilized for a novel concept of “Interface Chemistry” (Lab-In-A-Drop). Furthermore, phenomena of “sliding and impact” are utilized here as new nanodesign tools, as described in detail below. Therefore, a systematic study from room temperature up to the Leidenfrost temperature and above, with different patterning masks, chemicals, nanoparticles, droplet sizes etc. is extremely promising to reveal new nanoscale fabrication methods and finding precise control over the processes of droplet based nanostructuring.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants