Radial pulsed arc discharge gun for synthesizing nanopowders
AssigneeNanotechnologies, Inc.
InventorsKurt A. Schroder, Doug K. Jackson
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Abstract
A system and method for synthesizing nanopowder which provides for precursor material ablation from two opposing electrodes that are substantially axially aligned and spaced apart within a gaseous atmosphere, where a plasma is created by a high power pulsed electrical discharge between the electrodes, such pulse being of short duration to inertially confine the plasma, thereby creating a high temperature and high density plasma having high quench and/or reaction rates with the gaseous atmosphere for improved nanopowder synthesis.
Claims45
An apparatus for synthesizing nanopowders, which comprises:
- an anode electrode and a cathode electrode which are comprised of precursor material, and which are substantially axially aligned but spaced apart within a gaseous atmosphere;
- and
- a power supply which is in electrical communication with said anode electrode and said cathode electrode, and which effects a high power pulsed electrical discharge to ablate said anode electrode and said cathode electrode to produce said nanopowders.
An apparatus for synthesizing nanopowders, which comprises:
- a first hollow ablative body composed of a precursor material and having a first outer diameter, and further having a first axial bore of a second diameter;
- an anode electrode having a third diameter smaller than said second diameter, and fitted within said first axial bore but electrically isolated from said first hollow ablative body;
- a second hollow ablative body composed of said precursor material and having said first diameter, and further having a second axial bore of said second diameter;
- a cathode electrode having said third diameter and fitted within said second axial bore but electrically isolated from said second hollow ablative body, and wherein said first hollow ablative body and said second hollow ablative body are substantially axially aligned but spaced apart in a gaseous atmosphere;
- and
- a power supply which is in electrical communication with said anode electrode and said cathode electrode, and which effects a high power pulsed electrical discharge to ablate said first hollow ablative body and said second hollow ablative body to produce said nanopowders.
A method of more efficiently synthesizing nanopowder, which comprises the steps of:
- forming a gaseous atmosphere;
- placing a pair of precursor material electrodes of opposite charge and in axial alignment, but spaced apart, within said gaseous atmosphere;
- producing a high power, pulsed electrical discharge between said pair of precursor material electrodes to produce a plasma of high temperature and high density;
- and
- quenching said plasma in said gaseous atmosphere to produce said nanopowder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.