PRODUCTION AND PROPERTIES OF NANOSTRUCTURED METAL-OXIDE PARTICLES

Two fundamentally different procedures of metal oxide production, whic h provide nanometer-sized oxide particles, are described here. Earthal kaline oxides, e.g., are produced by chemical gas phase deposition wit h MeO molecules (Me = Ca, Mg) and clusters being directly deposited af ter gas phase reaction between Me atomes and O-2 molecules. The proced ure also allows the dotation of MgO with a second component such as Ca O and vice versa. In order to obtain information on surface properties like reactivity and surface composition, OH groups as probe species a re produced on the surface of the resulting particles. The respective chemisorption as well as thermal desorption of OH groups are monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy. X-ray powder diffraction provides information on the bulk composition and bulk structure. Cu2O, on the other hand, i s produced by deposition of Cu metal from the vapour and subsequent ox idation of the resulting solid particles, which are then characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and UV/VIS spectroscopy.