# US 8,771,570 B1 · Method for producing quantum dots

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- Number: US 8,771,570 B1
- Document ID: US8771570B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 12/780,888
- Filed: 2010-05-15
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-05-29
- Assignees: Nanotron, Inc
- Applicants: Nathan David Hiller
- Inventors: Nathan David Hiller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771570B1

## CPC

- H10N 10/856: comprising organic compositions
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
- H10N 10/851: comprising inorganic compositions
- B29C 2071/022: {Annealing}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

One embodiment of a method for producing a plurality of nanostructures embedded in a host comprising the steps of: assembling a first preform, drawing said first preform into a first fiber, cutting said first fiber into a plurality of pieces, assembling said pieces of said first fiber into a second preform, and drawing said second preform into a second fiber. The host is made of a low thermal conductivity material such as a polymer or combination of polymers. The host can assume the form of a plurality of nanotubes which further reduces the host's thermal conductivity due to enhanced phonon scattering. The host can exhibit anisotropic thermal conductivity which reduces its thermal conductivity perpendicular to the direction in which it was drawn. The nanostructure-host composite can be cut into pieces and assembled into efficient thermoelectric devices for use in cooling or electric power generation applications. Other embodiments are described and shown.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for making a multitude of quantum dots embedded in a host, comprising:
(a) assembling a plurality of materials into a preform,
(b) drawing said preform into a fiber having a longitudinal dimension and a cross-sectional dimension,
(c) inducing an instability in said fiber,
whereby said longitudinal dimension of said fiber is substantially larger than said cross-sectional dimension of said fiber, at least one but not all of said materials is transformed into said quantum dots embedded in said host, and a multitude of said quantum dots do not make physical contact with one another.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said instability is induced during said drawing said preform into said fiber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said instability is induced after said drawing said preform into said fiber by further including annealing said fiber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including consolidating said preform prior to said drawing said preform into said fiber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said host includes an electrically insulating material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said host includes a polymer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said host includes a plurality of nanotubes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said host includes a plurality of voids.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said quantum dots includes a semiconductor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said quantum dots includes bismuth.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said instability is a fluid dynamics instability.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said instability is a Rayleigh instability.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said fiber has an anisotropic thermal conductivity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said host includes a thermal insulating material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein said voids encapsulate a gas.