Plasma Torch Production of Ti-Al Nanoparticles

Abstract

Using the Aerosol-through-Plasma (A-T-P) technique high surface area (from 100 to 203 m2/gm) bi-cationic (Ti-Al) oxide particles of a range of stoichiometries were produced that showed remarkable resistance to sintering. Specifically, we found that homogeneous nanoparticles with surface areas greater than 150 m2/gm were produced at all stoichiometries. In particular, for particles with a Ti:Al ratio of 1:3 a surface area of just over 200 m2/gm was measured using the BET method. The most significant characteristic of these particles was that their sinter resistance was far superior to that of TiAl particles produced using any other method. For example, A-T-P generated particles retained >70% of their surface area even after sintering at 1000 C for five hours. In contrast, particles made using all other methods lost virtually all of their surface area after an 800 C treatment.