Nanoporous Silicon as a Green, High-Tech Educational Tool

Abstract

Pedagogical tools are needed that link multidisciplinary nanoscience and technology (NST) to multiple state-of-the-art applications, including those requiring new fabrication routes relying on green synthesis. These can both educate and motivate the next generation of entrepreneurial NST scientists to create innovative products whilst protecting the environment and resources. Nanoporous silicon shows promise as such a tool as it can be fabricated from plants and waste materials, but also embodies many key educational concepts and key industrial uses identified for NST. Specific mechanical, thermal, and optical properties become highly tunable through nanoporosity. We also describe exceptional properties for nanostructured silicon like medical biodegradability and efficient light emission that open up new functionality for this semiconductor. Examples of prior lecture courses and potential laboratory projects are provided, based on the author’s experiences in academic chemistry and physics departments in the USA and UK, together with industrial R&D in the medical, food, and consumer-care sectors. Nanoporous silicon-based lessons that engage students in the basics of entrepreneurship can also readily be identified, including idea generation, intellectual property, and clinical translation of nanomaterial products.

Enhanced Photoluminescence of Electrodeposited Europium Complex on Bare and Terpyridine-Functionalized Porous Si Surfaces

“…Porous silicon (PS) is known to show unique physicochemical properties and a high surface area [1][2][3][4][5]. The pores have commonly been prepared by electrochemical anodization process in a hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution by varying many experimental parameters such as concentration, organic-solvent additive, time, and applied potential [6,7].…”

Antiviral adsorption activity of porous silicon nanoparticles against different pathogenic human viruses

“…Usually, PSi films are produced by top-down method of electrochemical etching of a crystalline p-type silicon wafer in hydrofluoric acid (HF) and ethanol solutions [ 23 ]. At the same time, by tailoring the etching current density, crystalline silicon substrate doping level and the concentration of the etching solutions used, one can tunable both the pore sizes and the sizes of silicon walls of the resulting porous film [ [24] , [25] , [26] ]. PSi films as well as PSi NPs are generally classified according to the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) principle, which defines the type of porous material depending on the pore size.…”

Refractive index sensor with magnified resonant signal

“…PSi films are typically made by etching a crystalline p-type silicon substrate electrochemically using ethanol solutions and hydrofluoric acid from the top to down 33 . The pore sizes of PSi substrate can be tailored by controlling the doping level, etching current density, and the etching solution concentrations utilized 34 . In 2020, Zaky et al excited Tamm resonance using 1D-PC of PSi and used it as a gas sensor with high efficiency 24 .…”