Compact metal nano-powder generator of 273 MW average power and synthesis of copper nano-powder.

Abstract

The synthesis of metal nanoparticles holds significant promise for various applications ranging from electronics to catalysis. Their high specific surface area makes them more applicable in the form of lubricant and sorbent. Some of the metal nano-powders, such as silver, copper, and zinc, possess anti-microbial properties; hence, they are very useful in medical sciences. This paper presents a novel approach to the design and implementation of a compact metal nano-powder generator of 273 MW average power through the electrical explosion of wire method. The design focuses on achieving the automatic and repetitive operation of a compact metal nano-powder generator and minimizing its geometric inductance to achieve a fast rise time current across the exploding wire load. Copper nano-powder is produced with a copper wire of 450 μm thickness and 30 mm length at charging voltages of 8.5, 9.0, and 9.5 kV and achieving a superheat of 1.75, 1.92, and 2.06, respectively. The synthesis process is characterized by a detailed analysis of the copper nano-powder's structural, morphological, and chemical composition using techniques such as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The particle size distribution studies are performed by adopting the log-normal probability distribution. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed compact nano-powder generator in producing copper nano-powder with tailored properties suitable for diverse applications.