Apparatus for plasma synthesis of metal oxide nanopowder

An apparatus for synthesizing a metal oxide nanopowder from a metal compound vapour, comprising:

• a reaction chamber including a vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section and a taper chamber section mounted at a lower end of said vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section for collecting synthesized metal oxide nanopowder;
• an induction plasma assembly including a reactant mixing chamber mounted to an upper end of said vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section so as to be in fluid communication with said reaction chamber;
• said induction plasma assembly further including an inductive coil surrounding said reactant mixing chamber for generating a high frequency magnetic field in said reactant mixing chamber, a first inlet for receiving a first working gas and a second inlet for receiving the metal compound vapour;
• said first and second inlet being connected to said generally tubular reactant mixing chamber;
• and
• a plurality of quench gas nozzles connected to the periphery of said vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section below the upper end thereof for creating a highly turbulent gas quench zone in said reaction chamber wherein each of said plurality of quench gas nozzles are oriented at the same angle relative to a normal to said periphery of said vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section and wherein said plurality of quench gas nozzles are so connected to said vertically disposed generally tubular chamber section so that said angle is adjustable;
• whereby, in operation, an induction plasma jet is created by passing a working gas through said high frequency electromagnetic field in said reactant mixing chamber;
• said induction plasma jet and the metal compound vapour being introduced in said reaction chamber;
• said plasma jet causing the metal compound vapour to reach a reaction temperature and to react with said working gas, yielding nanosized metal oxide particles;
• said nanosized metal oxide particles being rapidly cooled in said highly turbulent gas quench zone of said reactor, thereby stopping the growth process of said nanosized metal oxide particles, yielding metal oxide nanopowder.