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US 9,849,512 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for production of uniformly sized nanoparticles
AssigneeAttostat, Inc.
InventorWilliam Niedermeyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and process for creating uniformly sized, spherical nanoparticles from a solid target. The solid target surface is ablated to create an ejecta event containing nanoparticles moving away from the surface. Ablation may be caused by laser or electrostatic discharge. At least one electromagnetic field is placed in front of the solid target surface being ablated. The electromagnetic field manipulates at least a portion of the nanoparticles as they move away from the target surface through the electromagnetic field to increase size and spherical shape uniformity of the nanoparticles. The manipulated nanoparticles are collected.
Claims22
A method for manufacturing generally spherical metal nanoparticles of high size uniformity, comprising:
- providing a solid metal target comprising an elemental metal having an ionization energy within a chamber containing a fluid;
- ablating a surface of the solid metal target using pulsed energy from a first energy source selected from a laser or electric discharge to create an ejecta plume of initial metal nanoparticles moving away from the surface of the solid metal target, wherein the pulsed energy is less than the ionization energy of the elemental metal so that the initial metal nanoparticles are uncharged and nonionic;
- placing a continuous electromagnetic energy field generated by a second energy source selected from a laser or a microwave source in front of the surface of the solid metal target, the electromagnetic energy field having an energy density less than the ionization energy of the elemental metal;
- the continuous electromagnetic energy field manipulating the initial metal nanoparticles as they move away from the surface of the solid metal target and pass through the continuous electromagnetic energy field to create manipulated metal nanoparticles that have increased size uniformity compared to the initial metal nanoparticles, are generally spherical, ionically stable, and suspended in the fluid, that have diameters less than 35 nm, and so that at least 99% of the manipulated metal nanoparticles have a diameter within ±3 nm of an average diameter;
- and
- collecting the manipulated metal nanoparticles as a stable suspension in a liquid.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing generally spherical metal nanoparticles of high size uniformity, comprising:
- providing a solid metal target comprising at least one of silver, gold, copper or platinum within a chamber containing a fluid;
- ablating a surface of the solid metal target using pulsed energy from a first laser to create an ejecta plume of initial metal nanoparticles moving away from the surface of the solid metal target, wherein the pulsed energy is less than the ionization energy of the silver, gold, copper or platinum and includes pulses of less than 10 nanoseconds;
- placing at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field generated by at least one additional laser in front of the surface of the solid metal target, the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field having an energy density less than the ionization energy of the silver, gold, copper or platinum;
- the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field manipulating the initial metal nanoparticles as they move away from the surface of the solid metal target and pass through the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field to create manipulated metal nanoparticles that have increased size uniformity after passing through the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy compared to the initial metal nanoparticles, are substantially spherical, ionically stable, and suspended in the fluid, that have an average diameter less than 35 nm, and so that at least 99% of the manipulated metal nanoparticles have a diameter within ±3 nm of the average diameter;
- and
- collecting the manipulated metal nanoparticles as a stable suspension of uncharged, nonionic nanoparticles.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing generally spherical metal nanoparticles of high size uniformity, comprising:
- providing a solid metal target comprising silver or silver alloy within a chamber containing a fluid;
- ablating a surface of the solid metal target using pulsed energy from a first laser to create an ejecta plume of initial metal nanoparticles moving away from the surface of the solid metal target, wherein the pulsed energy is less than the ionization energy of the silver or silver alloy;
- placing at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field generated by at least one additional laser in front of the surface of the solid metal target, the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field having an energy density less than the ionization energy of the silver or silver alloy;
- the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field manipulating the initial metal nanoparticles as they move away from the surface of the solid metal target and pass through the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field to create manipulated metal nanoparticles that have increased size uniformity compared to the initial metal nanoparticles, are substantially spherical, ionically stable, and suspended in the fluid, that have an average diameter less than 35 nm, and so that at least 99% of the manipulated metal nanoparticles have a diameter within ±3 nm of the average diameter;
- and
- collecting the manipulated metal nanoparticles as a stable suspension of uncharged, nonionic nanoparticles.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing generally spherical metal nanoparticles of high size uniformity, comprising:
- providing a solid metal target comprising gold or gold alloy within a chamber containing a fluid;
- ablating a surface of the solid metal target using pulsed energy from a first laser to create an ejecta plume of initial metal nanoparticles moving away from the surface of the solid metal target, wherein the pulsed energy is less than the ionization energy of the gold or gold alloy;
- placing at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field generated by at least one additional laser in front of the surface of the solid metal target, the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field having an energy density less than the ionization energy of the gold or gold alloy;
- the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field manipulating the initial metal nanoparticles as they move away from the surface of the solid metal target and pass through the at least one continuous electromagnetic energy field to create manipulated metal nanoparticles that have increased size uniformity compared to the initial metal nanoparticles, are substantially spherical, ionically stable, and suspended in the fluid, and that have diameters less than 35 nm, and so that at least 99% of the manipulated metal nanoparticles have a diameter within ±3 nm of an average diameter;
- and
- collecting the manipulated metal nanoparticles as a stable suspension of uncharged, nonionic nanoparticles.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.