MEX-UP – scaling UP the production of metal chalcohalide (MEX) nanocrystals

Funding Program: CNR-UVR AMICO2_PoC, Next Generation EU PoC 2022 – PNRR del MIMIT-UIBM M1 C2 I6 https://www.cnr.it/it/bando-uvr-amico-poc-2022

Duration: February 2024 – March 2025

Description: MEX-UP aims at scaling up the production process of a class of innovative nanomaterials: chalcohalides.

Chalcohalides feature a high chemical stability, ideal optical absorption properties, and a predicted defect tolerance, while being constituted by elements with low, if any, toxicity, such as chalcogenide and halide anions and metal cations of the group 15, like bismuth and antimony. Such heavy pnictogen chalcohalides recently came under the spotlight for energy conversion purposes, that is a major challenge considering the urgency of increasing the use of renewable energy sources to feed our energy-intensive society.

CNR NANOTEC invented and developed the first synthetic method to prepare heavy pnictogen chalcohalides as colloidal nanomaterials, showing promising optoelectronic properties and versatile processability as powders, inks, and pastes. MEX-UP aims to bring chalcohalide nanomaterials from the lab scale to production via pilot plant.

Objectives: MEX-UP points to increase by three orders of magnitude the production per batch of chalcohalide nanomaterials, bringing it close to the Kg scale.

Pilot plant design and set-up, synthetic control in the pilot plant, and quality control of the reaction product will concur to the success of MEX-UP. Demonstration of the feasibility and effectivity of the production process of chalcohalide nanomaterials on the Kg scale may prove reliability in moving towards an industrially relevant production scale, thus potentially attracting industries and investors.

MEX-UP expects to bring the production process of chalcohalide nanomaterials to TRL 5.

 Team:

Carlo Giansante (Scientific Coordinator, CNR NANOTEC); Ornella Cuofano, Luigi Carbone, Agostina-Lina Capodilupo, Francesco Ruighi (Chemists, CNR NANOTEC); Laura Polimeno, Antonio Fieramosca (Spectroscopists, CNR NANOTEC); Cinzia Giannini, Anna Moliterni, Rocco Caliandro (Crystallographers, CNR IC); Ciro Urso (Administrative Responsible, CNR NANOTEC).

Fundings: 100.000 €

LINK

https://www.knowledge-share.eu/en/patents/process-for-the-production-of-nanocrystals-of-metal-chalcohalideshttps://promott.cnr.it/en/technology/175/process-for-the-production-of-nanocrystals-of-metal-chalcohalides

PATENT

  • PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NANOCRYSTALS OF METAL CHALCOHALIDES

IT202200001577A1, PCT/IB2023/050820, WO2023144799A1, https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2023144799A1/en

PUBLICATIONS