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

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode,
• wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and wherein
• an electrical current is initiated between the electrodes to create a plasma stream that ablates at least one of bore of the barrel and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode without a fuse extending therebetween;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and wherein
• pulse means for initiating an electrical current between the electrodes without the fuse to create a plasma stream that ablates at least one of bore of the barrel and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore with an insulated liner extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating an electrical current without a fuse between the electrodes and creating a plasma stream that ablates the muzzle electrode and interacts with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, an axial bore with an insulated liner extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode;
• a replaceable insert of precursor material located in the axial bore;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating an electrical current between the electrodes and creating a plasma stream that ablates the muzzle electrode and said replaceable insert, and interacts with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode,
• wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the axial bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating a pulsed electrical current between the muzzle electrode and the breech electrode to create a plasma stream that ablates at least one of the breech electrode, the axial bore of the barrel, and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween with a replaceable insert of precursor material;
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating an electrical current between the muzzle electrode and the breech electrode, and creating a plasma stream that ablates the muzzle electrode and interacts the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode,
• wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the axial bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• a power supply electrically connected to said breech electrode and said muzzle electrode to initiate without a fuse a pulsed electric current between the muzzle electrode and the breech electrode to create a plasma stream that ablates at least one of the axial bore of the barrel and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode comprised of a metallic reactant and mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode, wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the axial bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating a pulsed electrical current between the muzzle electrode and the breech electrode to create a plasma stream that ablates at least one of the axial bore of the barrel and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween;
• a breech electrode mounted in said axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode, wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the axial bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• a power supply electrically connected to said breech electrode and said muzzle electrode to initiate a pulsed electrical current between the muzzle electrode and the breech electrode to create a plasma stream that ablates the breech electrode, the axial bore of the barrel, and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.

An electrothermal gun, comprising:

• a barrel having a closed end, an open end, and an axial bore extending therebetween
• a breech electrode mounted in the axial bore on the closed end of the barrel;
• a muzzle electrode mounted at the open end of the barrel opposite the breech electrode, wherein the muzzle electrode has a bore that is substantially radially aligned with the axial bore of the barrel;
• a reactor vessel located adjacent to the muzzle electrode and having a reactor atmosphere;
• and
• pulse means for initiating without a fuse a pulsed electrical current between the breech electrode and the muzzle electrode to create a plasma stream that ablates the breech electrode, the axial bore of the barrel, and the muzzle electrode to interact with the reactor atmosphere to form nanosized particles in the reactor vessel.