Methods and Systems for Preparing Multimetal Alloy Nanoparticles
MultiMetal Alloy Nano-Particles (MMA NPs) are said to be of interest or applicable to applications including catalysts, plasmonics, nano-electronics, chemical sensors and drug delivery. However, current fabrication techniques are said to be limited to 3 metals due to phase segregation or unwanted intermetallics. Further, current fabrication techniques are limited by things such as micron-range particle size, limited cooling rates and resulting de-homogenization, and batch processing.
The instant technology presents a system and method for fabricating MMA NPs. It is a plasma torch-based system, where input metal particles are fed through a central tube, for example, at the top of the reactor. Plasma gas is fed through an inlet concentrically surrounding the tube. Coils are provided, creating a plasma torch region below the two feed areas to generate the plasma. In one example, the initial plasma temperature is approximately 8000K. Five hundred mili-seconds later the temperature is approximately 1000K. Within this timeframe the metal is said to be a collection of monomers, nuclei form and lastly, nanoparticles form. Traditional methods are said to provide for coagulation of the nanoparticles into larger end product particles.
With respect to the system, it is designed to provide plasma expansion and turbulence, promoting homogeneity. Further, a high cooling rate provides for particle nucleation and formation in the particle chamber. A ratio of the diameter of the plasma torch region and that of a particle formation chamber, which is located downstream, is less than 0.5:1.
Applicant(s):
National Research Council of Canada
Filing Date:
2022-Dec-09 (US Provisional)
Inventor(s):
Keun Su Kim
Dean Ruth
Mark Plunkett
Martin Couillard
Homin Shin
Robyn Iannitto
Gaofeng Li
Other patents by lead inventor (select):
WO2019/056092: Boron nitride nanotube (bnnt)-nanoparticle composites, methods for the preparation thereof and their macroscopic assemblies
Independent Claims (Applied for):
1 – Method
30 – Apparatus
Analyst Comments:
Generally, the instant application lies within a body or work around material systems that are fabricated using a plasma-torch. The work considers material systems, process conditions and aspects of the reactor design. Again, generally, the feedstock is vapourized in the plasma and the desired system (chemistry and size) forms upon cooling, under a large temperature gradient. In the instant technology, the fabrication of MMAs is considered.
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Technology Tree
Where am I? Here, the base of the tree is a basic materials system, metal. It then moves to “finer” gradations within the system and its fabrication.
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