Apparatus and methods for industrial-scale production of metal matrix nanocomposites

An apparatus for the production of metal matrix nanocomposites comprising:

• (a) a production chamber defining a cavity;
• (b) a nanoparticle feeding system comprising:
• a nanoparticle source in communication with the production chamber cavity through a feeding system output port, and
• a nanoparticle flow rate controller configured to control the flow rate of nanoparticles from the nanoparticle source to the feeding system output port;
• (c) a mixing system comprising:
• a first impeller disposed within the production chamber cavity and configured to apply an axial shear force to nanoparticle agglomerates entering a molten metal held in the production chamber cavity through the feeding system output port, and to force the nanoparticle agglomerates downward into the molten metal, and
• a second impeller disposed within the production chamber and configured to apply a radial shear force to nanoparticle agglomerates forced downward into a molten metal held in the production chamber by the first impeller;
• (d) a cavitation system comprising:
• a cavitation cell disposed within the production chamber cavity and defining a cavitation cavity having an input aperture and an output aperture, wherein the cavitation cell is positioned within the production chamber cavity such that a sub-volume of molten metal held within the cavitation cavity could flow out through the output aperture and back into a larger volume of molten metal held in the production chamber cavity, and
• a cavitation source configured to create a cavitation zone within a molten metal held in the cavitation cavity;
• and
• (e) a pumping conduit configured to conduct a flow of molten metal from the second impeller into the cavitation cavity through the cavitation cavity input aperture.