Method and apparatus for direct electrothermal-physical conversion of ceramic into nanopowder

A system for producing powder, comprising:

• a reactor vessel having an interior cavity with two open-ended exit ports;
• an anode mounted adjacent to one of the exit ports;
• a cathode mounted adjacent to the other of the exit ports;
• and
• production means for generating powder via both exit ports in response to a discharge.

An electrothermal gun for producing nanoscale particles, comprising:

• a reactor vessel having a cylindrical bore with two open ends and a reactor chamber at the ends containing a reactor gas;
• an anode mounted to one of the ends of the bore;
• a cathode mounted to the other of the ends of the bore;
• ignition means associated with the reactor vessel for initiating a discharge therein;
• and
• production means located within the bore of the reactor vessel for vaporizing in response to the discharge and forcing plasma to exit from both ends of the bore to generate nanoscale particles in the reactor chamber.

A method of producing powder, comprising:

• (a) providing a reactor vessel with a cavity having two open-ended exit ports, an anode, and a cathode;
• (b) applying a voltage across the anode and cathode to initiate a discharge;
• then
• (c) vaporizing material in response to the discharge to form a plasma that exits both exit ports to generate powder.