Plasmachemical synthesis and basic properties of CoFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> magnetic nanoparticles

Cobalt-ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles (CFNPs) are obtained using direct plasmachemical synthesis in the plasma of a low-pressure arc discharge. The formation of the CFNPs with an average size of 9 nm and a narrow granulometric composition is established employing the methods of X-ray structure analysis and transmission microscopy. The CFNP behavior upon high-temperature annealing is analyzed. The CFNP functional groups are determined using the infrared Fourier spectrum. The results of the X-ray energy dispersion confirm the correspondence of the ratio of the number of atoms of each material to the nominal stoichiometry. The basic magnetic properties of the obtained and annealed samples are investigated at room temperature using the vibrating spectrum magnetometry (VSM).     

Study of gas-mixture composition influence on structure and properties of titanium alloy VT6 at low-temperature nitriding

The influence of gas-mixture composition on structure and properties of titanium alloy VT6 (Ti-6Al-4V) at low-temperature nitriding in plasma of non-selfsustained low-pressure arc discharge is studied. The material was in two states: coarse-grained and submicrocrystalline. It is shown that mechanical properties and thickness of the modified layer depend on preliminary formed structure.     

In situ characterization of nanoparticles during growth by means of white light scattering

A simple method of characterization of suspensions of spherical nanoparticles with monotonically variable size is proposed. It allows for the in situ measurement of the particle size as well as spectral dependence of their refractive indices. The method requires three optical channels: one for the illumination of a suspension by white light and two for the measurements of the spectra of scattered light. Parameters of the particles are determined by fitting the measured temporal spectral surfaces by the calculated Mie scattering functions. The method is applied to the particles being grown in a low-pressure reactive plasma of a discharge in an acetylene-argon mixture.     

Analytic model of nanoparticle formation and growth in a SiH<Subscript>4</Subscript>-Ar plasma

A kinetic model of formation and growth of nanoparticles in a low-pressure plasma-chemical reactor with an rf capacitive discharge in a SiH₄-Ar mixture is presented. Analytic formulas are derived for calculating the concentration of monomers, as well as the concentration and average size of nanoparticles. The results are compared with the results of numerical calculations and experimental data for nanoparticles in a SiH₄-Ar plasma.     

Device for Increasing the Magnetic Flux Pinning in Granular Nanocomposites Based on the High-Temperature Superconducting Ceramic

A device for modifying the granular high-temperature superconducting ceramics in the plasma of a low-pressure arc discharge has been considered. The particular features of the design and operational principle of this device have been described. The device made it possible to combine the synthesis of that play a role of additional pinning centers and simultaneous deposition of these nanoparticles on microgranules in a single processing cycle. The experimental results on the effect of additional pinning centers on an increase in the critical current thanks to the formation of self-assembled structures in the form of whiskers have been considered.     

Synthesis of amorphous carbon nanoparticles and carbon encapsulated metal nanoparticles in liquid benzene by an electric plasma discharge in ultrasonic cavitation field

A newly-developed method permits an electric plasma discharge to occur with relatively low electric power in insulating organic solutions due to the presence of an ultrasonic cavitation. A stable electric plasma could be generated in an ultrasonic cavitation field containing a thousand tiny activated bubbles, in which the electric conductivity could be improved due to formed radicals and free electrons, using copper electrodes and a titanium ultrasonic horn. This method allowed us to synthesize pyrolytic amorphous carbon nanoparticles smaller than about 30 nm in diameter from benzene liquid. In addition, we synthesized TiC nanoparticles about 50-150 nm in size, and copper nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm, which were encapsulated in multilayered graphite cages. Finally, we used GC-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS to observe and analyze the polymerized compounds and the degree of polymerization of the benzene liquid after the plasma treatment.     

Ultrasonic-assisted spark plasma discharge for gold nanoparticles synthesis

We examine the ultrasonic-assisted spark discharge in gold nanoparticles production. A 1 kHz pulsed power supply is used to generate spark discharge plasma. The appropriate range of peak power (pulse peak current) for nanoparticles production was determined by the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized in 100 mL deionized water and pure ethanol as liquid dielectrics. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs show that the nanoparticles diameter in the deionized water is larger than in pure ethanol. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) micrographs of the gold nanoparticles also confirm the SEM results with more accuracy. The present study revealed that the ultrasonic wave increases the shape uniformity of the nanoparticles and decreases their size.     

A novel method for synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles by arc discharge in liquid

This paper presents a novel, inexpensive and one-step approach for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using arc discharge between titanium electrodes in AgNO₃ solution. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Silver nanoparticles of 18 nm diameter were formed during reduction of AgNO₃ in plasma discharge zone. Optical absorption spectroscopy of as prepared samples at 15 A arc current in AgNO₃ solution shows a surface plasmon resonance around 410 nm. It was found that sodium citrate acts as a stabilizer and surface capping agent of the colloidal nanoparticles. SEM images exhibit the increase of reduced nanoparticles in 6 min arc duration compared with 1 min arc duration. TEM image of the sample prepared at 6 min arc duration shows narrow size distribution with 18 nm mean particle size. Antibacterial activities of silver nanoparticles were investigated at the presence of Escherichia coli (E-coli) bacteria.     

Nanoscale metal oxide particles produced in the plasma discharge in the liquid phase upon exposure to ultrasonic cavitation. 1. Method for producing particles

It is shown that a new form of the plasma discharge with bulk glow throughout the space between electrodes and an descending current-voltage characteristic, occurring in liquid in an ultrasonic field with an intensity above the cavitation threshold, can be efficiently used to initiate the various physical and chemical processes. In such an acoustic plasma discharge, nanoparticles of oxides of various metals, i.e., aluminum, copper, tin, iron, titanium, indium, zinc, molybdenum, and others, are synthesized with controllable particle shape and size and narrow size distribution. Micrographs of some nanoparticles are presented. The difference in luminescence of particles produced in the absence and presence of cavitation is shown.     

Plasma-chemical reactor based on a low-pressure pulsed arc discharge for synthesis of nanopowders

A reactor for producing nanopowders in the plasma of a low-pressure arc discharge has been developed. As a plasma source, a pulsed cold-cathode arc evaporator has been applied. The design and operating principle of the reactor have been described. Experimental data on how the movement of a gaseous mixture in the reactor influences the properties of nanopowders have been presented.

     

Ion emission from arc discharge plasmas

Results are presented from studies of the ion-emission properties of the anode plasmas of low-pressure contracted arc discharges and vacuum arcs. It is shown that creating a longitudinal magnetic field in the anode region of a discharge changes the plasma parameters significantly and facilitates a large increase in the ion current. Space charge limited ion current in a vacuum arc leads to a reduction in the noise level of the total ion current and of its components with charges of up to +3, while creating Penning discharge conditions ensures that ions of different gases can be generated in this discharge system at fractions as high as 90%, depending on the type of plasma forming gas.Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vuzov, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 24–33, March, 1994.     

Plasma coating of nanoparticles in the presence of an external electric field

Film deposition onto nanoparticles by low-pressure plasma in the presence of an external electric field is studied numerically. The plasma discharge fluid model along with surface deposition and heating models for nanoparticles, as well as a dynamics model considering the motion of nanoparticles, are employed for this study. The results of the simulation show that applying external field during the process increases the uniformity of the film deposited onto nanoparticles and leads to that nanoparticles grow in a spherical shape. Increase in film uniformity and particles sphericity is related to particle dynamics that is controlled by parameters of the external field like frequency and amplitude. The results of this work can be helpful to produce spherical core-shell nanoparticles in nanomaterial industry.     

Experimental study of the stability of the interface between a liquid electrolyte and the glow discharge plasma

The stability of the interface between a liquid electrolyte and the plasma of a contracted low-pressure dc glow discharge in air is investigated by means of digital photography. Water solutions of potassium permanganate and copper sulfate were used as electrolytes. It is found that, in the case of potassium permanganate, the instability of the interface leads to ejection of the electrolyte into the plasma and extinction of the discharge. Discharge modes with different types of quasi-steady interface are observed for copper sulfate at different values of the discharge current: a smooth interface, a solitary wave perturbation, regular ripples, and a churning foamed turbulent mixing zone.     

ZnS nanoparticle synthesis and stability of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) under glow discharge plasma

Ionic liquid glow discharge electrolysis for nanoparticle synthesis is an emerging nanomaterials processing technology and the stability of ionic liquid when they are in contact with plasma is an important issue. This paper discusses the stability of [BMIM][BF4] after exposing this ionic liquid to glow discharge plasma and the synthesis of cubic crystalline ZnS nanoparticles by plasma electrochemical method. Stability of the ionic liquid after plasma exposure to 20 min at 250 V is explained by their FTIR spectra and found that the ionic liquid is stable even after the plasma exposure.     

In situ nanoparticle size measurements of gas-borne silicon nanoparticles by time-resolved laser-induced incandescence

This paper describes the application of time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (TiRe-LII), a combustion diagnostic used mainly for measuring soot primary particles, to size silicon nanoparticles formed within a plasma reactor. Inferring nanoparticle sizes from TiRe-LII data requires knowledge of the heat transfer through which the laser-heated nanoparticles equilibrate with their surroundings. Models of the free molecular conduction and evaporation are derived, including a thermal accommodation coefficient found through molecular dynamics. The model is used to analyze TiRe-LII measurements made on silicon nanoparticles synthesized in a low-pressure plasma reactor containing argon and hydrogen. Nanoparticle sizes inferred from the TiRe-LII data agree with the results of a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis.     

Effect of ambient gas species on the formation of Cu nanoparticles in wire explosion process

In this paper, the effect of ambient gas species on the characteristics of the produced nanoparticles in wire explosion process is reported. Cu wires with a diameter of 125 μm and length of 6.1 cm were exploded in different ambiances of Ar and admixtures of Ar and N₂ at 500 mbar pressure. Immediate formation of arc plasma is observed for Ar ambiance. On the other hand, considerable delay in formation of arc plasma is observed for the admixtures of Ar and N₂. The arc plasma formation time is found to increase with increasing N₂ concentration in the admixture. Transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the produced nanoparticles. Among the nanoparticles produced in different ambient gas species, the nanoparticles produced in Ar ambiance have higher particle size compared to admixtures of Ar and N₂. The particle size is found to reduce with increasing N₂ concentration in the ambiance. Difference in arc plasma formation time is probably the factor that gives rise to the difference in the particle sizes.     

Formation of the structure and physicomechanical properties of a quasicrystalline Al–Cu–Fe alloy upon plasma spraying

Quasicrystalline coatings prepared under various thermal conditions of spraying have been studied. Initial quasicrystalline powders with dispersion of 10–50 μm were prepared in a low-pressure arc discharge plasma. The coatings have been sprayed on copper rings using a swinging plasmatron. It is found that the increase in the quenching rate of melt droplets increases the chemical homogeneity and leads to formation of nanostructured formations. The precipitation of nanostructured grains (d < 100 nm) in the sprayed alloy leads to an increase in the mechanical characteristics (hardness, deformation, and ductility) and can be considered as an additional factor of hardening of the material.     

Self-Similar Gas Motion Near The Evaporating Electrode of An Electric Arc

Simple solutions of 1Dt gas-dynamical equations based on similarity analysis are possible for the gas surrounding a point source of mass and energy such as an electrode (cathode) arc spot. To obtain nontrivial (non-zero temperature) solutions throughout, two-scale formulation is used that permits an additional boundary condition near the source. Three generalised gas flow variables, R, Z and V, related to gas density, temperature and velocity are calculated and presented as functions of a single similarity parameter, λ, related to position and time. The computational results are compared with data from two gas discharge experiments: on gas disturbances due to an electric arc of micrometer length in atmospheric air and on expansion of a metal-vapour plasma cloud generated by a low-pressure cold-cathode arc.     

Mechanisms for Power Deposition in Ar/SiH4 Capacitively Coupled RF Discharges

In low-pressure capacitively coupled parallel-plate radiofrequency (RF) discharges, such as those used in plasma processing of semiconductor materials, power deposition and the rate of electron-impact excitation collisions depend upon time during the RF cycle and position in the discharge. Power is coupled into the discharge in at least two ways: by way of a high-energy "e-beam" component of the electron distribution resulting from electrons falling through or being accelerated by the oscillating sheaths, and by "joule heating" in the body of plasma. This paper will discuss the method of power deposition by electrons and the spatial dependence of electron-impact excitation rates in low-pressure capacitively coupled RF discharges with results from a Monte Carlo plasma simulation code. Mixtures of argon and silane will be examined as typical examples of discharges used for the plasma deposition of amorphous silicon.