Process for the manufacture of reacted nanoparticles
AssigneeAveka, Inc.
InventorGary A. Pozarnsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and apparatus prepares and collects metal nanoparticles by forming a vapor of a metal that is solid at room temperature, the vapor of the metal being provided in an inert gaseous carrying medium. At least some of the metal is solidified within the gaseous stream. The gaseous stream and metal material is moved in a gaseous carrying environment into or through a dry mechanical pumping system. While the particles are within the dry mechanical pumping system or after the nanoparticles have moved through the dry pumping system, the vaporized metal material and nanoparticles are contacted with an inert liquid collecting medium.
Claims21
A process of collecting reacted metal nanoparticles comprising forming a vapor of a metal that is solid at room temperature, the vapor of the metal being provided into an inert gaseous carrying medium, solidifying at least some of the metal within the gaseous stream, combining the metal particles with a reactive gas medium, moving the metal nanoparticles in a gaseous carrying environment through a dry mechanical pumping system, and while the particles are within the dry mechanical pumping system or after the nanoparticles have moved through the dry pumping system, contacting the metal nanoparticles with an inert liquid collecting medium.
An apparatus for providing dispersions of ultrafine metal particles having an average size of between 0.5 and 100 nanometers comprising:
- a) a source of vaporized metal connected to a mechanical pump and a collection vessel, the source of vaporized metal providing an stream of non-reactive gas flow away from the source and towards a mechanical pump;
- b) a source of metal into the source of vaporized metal;
- c) a source of non-reactive gas to carry metal material towards the mechanical pump;
- d) a source of reactive vapor to react with solid metal particles;
- e) a fluid source for a fluid to collect metal particles and/or condense metal vapor into nanoparticles;
- f) a mechanical pump for moving the non-reactive gas, reactive vapor, and metal material and the fluid to collect metal particles and/or condense metal vapor into particles;
- and
- g) a contact zone for the i) non-reactive gas and metal material and ii) the fluid to collect metal particles and/or condense metal vapor into particles;
- wherein the contact zone is within the mechanical pump or after the mechanical pump and the metal particles are coated with reactive material or reacted with the reactive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.