Encapsulated particles
AssigneenanoComposix, Inc.
InventorsSteven J. Oldenburg, Richard K. Baldwin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed technology relates generally to material systems which include a plurality of particles and methods of making the same. The particles have a core and a shell which encapsulates the core and has at least one atomic element not included in the core. The cores of the particles have a median maximum dimension that is less than 10 microns and a median of at least one axial dimension that is between 10 nm and 500 nm. The shells of the particles have a median thickness that is less than 100 nm, a silicon concentration that is between 10% and 50% on the basis of the weight of the shells, and an aluminum concentration that is between 0.01% and 5% on the basis of the weight of the shells.
Claims49
A material composition, comprising:
- a plurality of particles, wherein each particle comprises a core and a shell encapsulating the core, the shell comprising at least one atomic element not included in the core,
- wherein the cores have:
- a median maximum dimension that is less than 10 microns, and
- a median of at least one axial dimension that is in the range of 10 nm to 500 nm, and
- wherein the shells have:
- a median thickness that is less than 100 nm,
- a silicon concentration that is in the range of 10% to 50% on the basis of the weight of the shells, and
- an aluminum concentration that is in the range of 0.01% to 5% on the basis of the weight of the shells,
- wherein the shells have a ratio of the aluminum concentration to the silicon concentration in the range of 1:20 to 1:5000 such that the median thickness does not change by more than 10% when measured 24 hours after immersing in water.
A method of preparing a material composition, comprising:
- providing a plurality of particle cores;
- encapsulating the particle cores with shells comprising at least one atomic element not included in the cores;
- and
- incorporating aluminum into the shells by exposing the shells to an aluminum-containing material to thereby provide a plurality of particles,
- wherein the particle cores have:
- a median maximum dimension that is less than 10 microns, and
- a median of at least one axial dimension that is in the range of 10 nm to 500 nm, and
- wherein the shells have:
- a median thickness that is less than 100 nm,
- a silicon concentration that is in the range of 10% to 50% on the basis of the weight of the shells, and
- an aluminum concentration that is in the range of 0.01% to 5% on the basis of the weight of the shells,
- wherein the shells have a ratio of the aluminum concentration to the silicon concentration in the range of 1:20 to 1:5000 such that the median thickness does not change by more than 10% when measured 24 hours after immersing in water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.